An Unexpected Life
by tekhne
Summary: Jacob stopped Bella from jumping. Edward eventually returns, but has some trouble finding Bella. AU, BxJ
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: _Twilight_, _New Moon_ and the characters found in those books are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story is written for entertainment purposes only. No money is being made from this story, nor is any copyright infringement intended.

Part 1

By Tekhne

I breathed deeply, the sea air filling my lungs. The water stirred below the cliff. I closed my eyes, listening to the pleading voice in my head. That beautiful, velvet voice. I hesitated, preparing to jump, when something slammed against me. I expected to hit the ground, but spiraled in the air to land on a warm chest instead. A very _familiar _warm chest.

Jacob smelled like the forest after a rainstorm – clean and fresh. Natural. His arms felt good around my body. Safe. He kissed my forehead. I could handle that. I wasn't ready for more, at least, not yet.

"Get a room, you two!" Embry laughed.

He and Jared stood nearby, tall and nearly naked. Embry threw something at Jacob, who caught it in one hand. He stood, still holding me, and set me gently on my feet before turning his back to me. It was then that I realized Jacob was naked. Embry had thrown him a pair of cut-off shorts. I couldn't resist a peek, blushing as I noticed his tanned skin rippling over his muscles. The golden brown covered him from neck to heel, and unbroken line of color. I glanced away.

"Bella! What were you thinking?" Jacob said as he turned to face me.

"Cliff diving. I was thinking cliff diving. Just because you couldn't jump didn't mean I had to change my plans."

He frowned, exasperated. "There's a hurricane blowing in. Did you even think about that?" He pointed toward the ocean, shaking his head. "You could have drowned."

I turned, noticing the dark clouds moving in quickly, the water churning below. "I guess it was a stupid idea."

"A dangerous idea. Promise me you'll wait for me to even think about cliff diving again." He glared at Embry and Jared, who stood in the same place snickering. "The two of you can go back on patrol while I take Bella back to my house," he said to them dismissively. They rolled their eyes, loping off into the edge of the forest. I assumed that they'd change into wolf form there.

Lightning flashed, shaking the ground as the rain began. It poured from the sky, drenching us immediately. "I was hoping to beat the storm. Or at least, to make it to the truck so you wouldn't get wet," Jacob grumbled. He pulled me against him, nearly lifting me off the ground as we ran to the truck. Between the darkness and the rain pelting against the glass, I could barely see through the windshield. I wondered how Jacob could drive in weather like this.

When we reached the house, Jacob sheltered me as we ran inside. He ran his hands over my arms to warm me. I stood in front of him, shivering, and he pulled me against his chest. He was better than a blanket, his heat reaching all the way through to my bones. He left momentarily, returning with some towels and a bundle of sweats. I stared at his glistening wet chest as he wrapped my hair in one towel and began to buff me dry with another.

He handed me the sweats. "These are the best I can do for dry clothes. We can cut them off so you don't trip on them." He laughed like it was a joke, but I knew he meant it. He led me to his room and shut the door behind me so I could change.

"Where are Sam and Paul?" I asked on the way back to the living room. I could see Jacob in the kitchen.

"At the hospital," Jacob murmured somberly. "Harry Clearwater had a heart attack." He glanced up, his face marred by sorrow, but grinned when he saw me. "You look like a little kid wearing grownup's clothes. Let me find the scissors."

I felt bad about cutting up Jacob's clothes, knowing that he was ripping out of them left and right as he phased into a werewolf. "Really, it's not necessary."

"It is. I'm just going to cut them off into shorts later, anyway." He rummaged through a drawer until he found the scissors. He crooked his finger, and I joined him in the kitchen. He dropped to his knees beside me and carefully pulled the material away from my leg to cut it.

When he finished, he stood, ruffled my hair like I was a child, and said, "Rest there on the couch while I check on Harry."

Jacob sounded worried, but I couldn't tell much from this side of the conversation. He frowned as he turned to face me. "Nothing's changed. It doesn't look good, though," he whispered hoarsely. "Charlie's there. Why don't you rest here until we hear something more?"

Exhausted to the bone, I sank to the couch. Jacob sat on the floor beside me, his warm hands gently rubbing my back. I was so warm. So safe. I slipped quietly into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

By Tekhne

When I awoke, Jacob was still sleeping, his head resting close to mine. The dark fringe of his eyelashes settled softly on his cheeks. I felt his hot breath against my face. His arms wrapped around me protectively, instinctively, even as he slept. I watched him, thinking about what he wanted and whether or not I could give it to him.

I loved him, no doubt about that. But it was more the way you love a brother. Could I ever love him the way he wanted? The way he loved me. What would it feel like to kiss him? The thought made me shiver, and that woke him up.

Immediately alert, he scanned the room quickly. He breathed through his nose, smelling for danger, I assumed. As I sat, he rose to the couch beside me and placed his arm casually across my shoulder. "Good nap?" I nodded. He grinned and pulled me closer to him. "Me, too." He yawned.

"You must be tired," I whispered, my face against his bare skin. "You're up half of the night, _every_ night, looking for Victoria."

He narrowed his eyes and frowned at the mention of her name. "We'll stop her soon, now that we know she's after you. I'm looking forward to taking her down."

The thought of Jacob and the rest of the pack confronting Victoria made me shudder, but he seemed to be spoiling for a fight. So did the rest of them. Almost like they enjoyed the idea. Like they couldn't imagine how dangerous it was. Or maybe they really didn't care how dangerous fighting a vampire could be. Just because they'd killed Laurent didn't mean they were invincible.

"Don't look like that, Bells. She can't hurt us. There are five of us, and Quil may join us at any time. She's the one in danger, not us." Jacob sounded so confident. He took my hands in his huge ones, covering them completely. "Bella, you know I won't let her hurt you. No matter what, I won't let her hurt you. You mean too much to me."

I swallowed. He couldn't understand that I wasn't just scared for me. He might be virtually indestructible, but he _could_ be killed. And he could be killed much more easily than a vampire, I suspected. I couldn't lose him. I'd thought I'd lost him once, and it had been like losing a part of myself. What little was left of me, at least. He said that he would wait. But how long? How much time would he give me?

The phone rang and in the small room, he hardly had to move to answer it once he stood. His brows puckered together forming a dark "V" as he answered, "Bella's here. If you're all staying at the hospital, she may as well stay here. She shouldn't be alone." He turned to me, and I nodded. Would I have to make that decision tonight? I wasn't ready.

Jacob mumbled some more into the phone then hung up. "Dad and Charlie are still at the hospital with Sue Clearwater. I'll stay here with you."

"But Jared and Embry. There're just two of them. They need you." I wanted him to stay, but I feared for the others' safety.

"They'll be nearby. I can help them if they need it," he assured me.

I wasn't so sure. "If anything happens to one of them –"

"Nothing will happen to them. They can take care of themselves and you. So can I." He nodded toward the kitchen. "How about something to eat?"

"That's a good idea. Let me fix something." I pushed myself off the couch and followed him into the kitchen. There wasn't much there, but I found everything for grilled cheese sandwiches. I ate one. Jacob ate seven. I wondered if werewolves had to worry about cholesterol. We didn't talk, and the silence between us wasn't as comfortable as usual. We moved from the kitchen to the living room and watched an episode of a crime show without speaking. Once again, Jacob wrapped his arm around me.

I couldn't follow the show. I was too preoccupied thinking about Jacob beside me.

The credits of the show flashed on the screen, and Jacob made a suggestion. "Why don't you go on to bed?" I nodded in agreement and stumbled down the hallway. He followed, catching me as I tripped on the rug. He carried me to the bed, gently laying me on the mattress. Then he disappeared, returning with a blanket. As he tucked the edges around me, he explained, "I don't use a blanket any more. It's too warm."

He slumped in the doorway, leaning against the wall just outside his room. "What are you doing?" I asked, curious.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"Jacob, I can't take your bed and leave you on the floor," I complained.

He shrugged. "If you sleep on the couch, I'll stay in there on the floor. Then we'll both be uncomfortable."

I sighed, thinking of all the nights I'd slept in Edward's arms, the two of us on my twin bed. It hurt to think his name and I gasped for breath. I knew there was room for Jacob, that we could both be comfortable on his bed. But would he understand? Or would he think I meant something else, something more? It didn't matter, really. I couldn't leave him sitting in the hallway.

"Jake," my voice trembled. "There's room for both of us to sleep on the bed." I wasn't betraying Edward. I winced. That was twice I'd thought his name. He'd already betrayed me. Would it really be so bad if I moved on with Jacob? If I tried to make something work between us, the way he wanted?

He coughed uncomfortably, returning my attention to him. "You sure?" he asked, his voice husky.

"I'm sure," I nodded, scooting over to give him as much room as possible. He curled in behind me, spooning against me, his arms around me. I did feel warm and safe. It wouldn't be so bad, loving Jacob in a new way. It wouldn't be so bad at all.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

By Tekhne

Charlie's voice pierced the darkness. "Bells? Bella? Where are you?" Jacob jumped away from me, but it was too late. "What do you think you're doing?" Charlie bellowed, his face turning dangerously purple.

"I didn't want to leave her alone," Jacob mumbled, his words garbled. "It was the only way I could get her to sleep on the bed instead of the couch." He squinted then looked directly at Charlie. "Nothing happened."

Billy chuckled in the background. "I think they're OK, Charlie. Jacob's on top of the blanket and Bella's underneath it."

Charlie continued to glare as I crawled out from under the blanket. "Jacob's half-dressed. What am I supposed to think?"

"Dad, unless he's in school, Jacob's _always_ half-dressed. Or haven't you noticed?"

Billy _and _Jacob laughed this time, but Charlie still didn't seem appeased. However, his face had returned to its normal color, and he grumbled only to himself.

"What about Harry, Ch – Dad? How is he?"

The two men frowned as they glanced at each other. Then Charlie spoke. "He didn't make it, Bells. The heart attack was a big one. Sue had been trying to make him eat healthier for a long time. It just finally caught up with him."

I swallowed, unsure what to say next. It was Jacob who broke the silence, lightening the atmosphere. "Anybody else want breakfast?"

"On its way," I said, grateful for something to do. I slipped past Charlie and Billy in the hallway and headed into the kitchen. I found eggs, bacon and the remainder of the loaf of bread Jacob had demolished last night. Jacob set the table and poured milk into glasses while I cooked. Billy made coffee.

The mood at the table was somber. Charlie and Billy ate silently, obviously thinking about Harry. Jacob ate greedily. As big as he was, I still wondered where he put it all.

As for me, I had far too much to think about. I hadn't dreamed last night, and for that I was grateful. But lying in the bed with Jacob wrapped around me had stirred unwelcome memories. It had been strangely familiar, his presence beside me, yet foreign at the same time. He was so warm. He felt good. Safe. Comfortable. I wasn't sure what that meant.

I had just cleared the dishes and started to wash them when someone knocked on the front door. Billy called out, and Sam came in, followed by Embry.

"Nice hair, Bella." Embry stifled a laugh. I realized that it must look like a haystack. The blush burned across my cheeks.

Jacob, who stood beside me drying dishes, ran his hand through my hair. "Don't be embarrassed, Bells. Embry's hair is so short that he doesn't have to brush it now. Not that he worried much about it before."

I smiled, glancing back at Jacob's cropped hair. I missed his sleek black ponytail. When he noticed me watching him a smile spread across his face. Embry snickered and both Jacob and Sam glared at him.

"We have some things to take care of today, Jacob. Embry and Jared found a fresh trail early this morning. It's on the north side of the reservation." Sam emphasized the last part.

Charlie met Sam's eyes. "You're not taking these boys out after those wolves, are you?" Jacob flashed me a grin at Charlie's comment.

"They can track as well as anybody. I'm sure they can handle anything we come up against," Sam said cryptically. Billy and I both understood perfectly, but Charlie had no idea.

Jacob disappeared in his room for a moment, returning wearing a shirt and shoes in addition to his cut-off sweats. I knew it was for Charlie's benefit. "You staying here, Bells? Or visiting Emily?"

He phrased it as a question, but it was a request. He knew I'd be safer here in La Push, easier to guard with Victoria so near. I could tell from Charlie's expression that he wasn't thrilled with the idea. Not after finding us both in Jacob's bed this morning, no matter how innocent it was. But he nodded. "You may as well. I'm going to talk to Sue about funeral arrangements. You'd just be home alone."

"I'll see if Emily wants some company. Maybe she needs some help making lunch for the lot of you," I offered. Jacob grinned, clearly relieved. Charlie seemed happier, too. Probably because I'd be with Emily and not here where Jacob and I could be alone. Not that I wanted to be alone with Jacob right now. Not until I made some important decisions.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

By Tekhne

I sat alone on the beach, perhaps on the very piece of driftwood where Jacob first told the Quileute legends. Or maybe where I'd told him that I knew he was a werewolf. It was hard to tell. Either way, the beach felt safe. Not quite as safe as Jacob's arms, but safe enough.

The first time he held my hand, it felt natural. Comfortable. Easy. It was the same when he first held me. Would kissing him be so different? I didn't doubt him, but I did doubt myself. He had no idea how broken I was. He could fix my truck or the motorcycles. He could even build a car. Could he put me back together with the same degree of skill? Was it fair to him for me to expect him to?

Cold wind blew salt spray into my face. It would be nice to have Jacob here now. He was so warm. I was damp enough that I'd probably need to put Jacob's sweats on when I returned to his house.

I pushed back other thoughts, concerns even more troubling than whether or not I could love him. I wrapped my arms around myself and held on tightly as I tried to contain my worry. What if they did find Victoria? What if she hurt one of them? How could I live with such guilt?

Carefully, I stood on one of the rocks around the tide pools and looked toward the horizon. The slate grey of the ocean reflected the cloudy sky, all except for a flash of fiery red. I wondered what it was as it floated toward the shore. Some kind of strange seaweed, perhaps?

Then I realized that whatever it was, it was moving through the water faster than the waves. It wasn't floating randomly; it was propelling itself to the beach. I shuddered as I recognized it. Victoria's hair. She was coming for me.

I turned and ran, even though I knew it was futile. She was so fast. Perhaps the werewolves in the area would make her rethink torturing me. I could only hope she would make it fast. She growled behind me. I tripped. Her snarling grew louder, more intense. I hit the sand, knocking my breath away, and turned to face my death.

Instead, I saw the pack surrounding Victoria. Sam, Paul and Jared blocked either side and any possible retreat into the water. Jacob and Embry stood in front of her, a living barrier between the vampire and me.

No! This was the stuff of my nightmares. I screamed. Victoria shifted to a more feline posture, hoping to slip between Jacob and Embry. Sam leapt onto her back, his teeth snapping at her neck. She threw him off as Paul and Jared tore into her arms pulling her back. Embry lunged for her legs, trying to take her down. She shook them all off and charged forward. Jacob roared as he attacked, his sharp teeth snapping at her neck. "Jacob!" I screamed and shut my eyes tightly. I couldn't lose him. I'd lost too much already. I couldn't lose Jacob, too.

Someone grabbed my arms. She'd made it through them. "No!" I shouted between gasps for air as I struggled to free myself.

"Bella, it's me. It's Jacob." He pulled me to him, crushing my head against his chest. "You're safe. The leech is gone. We killed her."

"Jacob," I sighed, relieved. I touched his face, reassuring myself that he was real. Without thinking, I kissed him. His lips were warm and soft against mine. He tugged my lower lip down gently with his teeth. I opened my mouth to his and his tongue fluttered against mine. I shivered. He wrapped his arms even more tightly around me.

It was easier than I thought. Much easier. And I didn't feel guilty at all because it felt right. I rested securely in his arms and kissed him again.


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

By Tekhne

I held Bella tightly as she slept. From time to time, she murmured, "Can't lose you, too." At least she'd stopped trembling. I didn't want to put her down because I liked the way she felt in my arms. I liked it almost as much as her kisses there on the beach.

Still, the kisses troubled me. I wasn't sure why she kissed me. I'd take what I could get, but there were several possibilities and each meant something different. One of them was that she was simply grateful. I'd saved her life by destroying a vampire bent on killing her. I didn't want that to be the reason she kissed me. A second possibility was that she was glad I'd survived. She never believed the pack members when we told her how safe we were when we went up against the leeches. The words she mumbled supported this theory, and it was preferable to the first. But the reason I hoped she kissed me was simple: she loved me. She'd chosen me over the memory of the bloodsucker who had left her an empty shell. It didn't hurt to hope, although finding out the real reason might be more painful than I could imagine.

As for me, the reason I kissed her was set in stone. I loved her. She made my life – this destiny, this curse – bearable. As a werewolf I could protect her, and she seemed to need that. Because of Bella, I could embrace the monster I had become.

She stirred in my arms, her eyes fluttering open. "Jacob." She whispered my name and rubbed her cheek against my chest. "Are you hurt?" I laughed and shook my head. "Is anyone else hurt?"

"Just the leech who was after you. You don't have to worry about her anymore." I rubbed my thumb across the curve of her face. She pressed her mouth against my chest and then turned up to meet my lips. At that moment, it didn't matter _why_ she kissed me. But I knew I'd have to talk to her about it. No matter how much I wanted it, in the end it needed to be for love and love alone. She'd loved one monster. Could she love another?

"It's hard to believe that it's over. That I'm safe," Bella sighed.

Over for her. I was still a werewolf in vampire country. The pack and I would continue to patrol, although we could relax our schedule a bit unless we saw evidence of more vampires. I'd have more time with Bella. At least, if she wanted more time with me now that she didn't need protection. I wasn't sure what would happen.

"You'll always be safe if I have anything to do with it. I'd never let anyone hurt you." She twisted in my arms and I bent so that I could touch her forehead with mine. Her skin felt so soft.

"We need to talk, Jacob," she whispered, her voice breathy.

So this was it. She didn't sound encouraging. I prepared myself for the worst.

She took a deep breath to prepare herself then began to speak. "I did a lot of thinking while as I was at the beach today. Still, I wasn't sure until I was afraid I'd lost you. Afraid that Victoria might have killed you. I realized how important you are to me." She sighed, clearly troubled. "I'm not saying this right."

I waited.

"Jacob, I know that you want more than a simple friendship. You've been incredibly patient." She turned her head and laid it against my shoulder. "I've relied on you so much, and not just since you became a werewolf. I've felt guilty because you wanted more than I was willing to give, more than I could give because I was so empty. When I thought I might lose you, I realized how much more empty I might become. I didn't realize there was so much there. I knew that I needed you. I knew that you loved me, even if I was broken. I just wasn't sure that I could love anyone until today, on the beach, when I realized that I already do love you."

My arms tightened around her possessively. She said she loved me. "That's why you kissed me?"

She shrugged. "The first time was just because I was so relieved that you were alive. But it helped me understand how I felt. The second time I kissed you was because I love you."

I couldn't help smiling. She loved me. She kissed me because she loved me. That smile on her face was for me. Because she loved me. Then she kissed me again, her sweet lips against mine causing the heat of my body to increase. I wanted her so much. And she loved me. I didn't ever want to stop kissing her.


	6. Chapter 6

Part 5

By Tekhne

_Give it a break!_ Embry's voice screamed in my mind.

_You're just jealous!_ I shot back at him.

Then came Sam's stern admonition. _I'm not jealous, and I'm tired of hearing it. It's distracting for all of us._

_It's hard not to think of her._

_Try._

How could I _not_ think of her? She was beautiful and she wanted me. She loved me. She didn't care that I was a monster. Whenever I closed my eyes I lost myself in her smile. I could hear her voice, feel her silky skin, smell the strawberry shampoo in her hair, taste the salt on her skin when I kissed her. What's more, I made her happy. Whole. Something no one else could do.

Jared's voice broke through my thoughts. _Sam doesn't think about Emily all the time._

_If he's going to think about her, he could at least be considerate enough to think of something interesting. Does she have a bathing suit?_ That was Paul.

I turned to the grey wolf and growled as I stared at him. He cut the eye-contact I had initiated and dropped his head.

_Think, brothers._ Sam's voice rang out clearly for all of us. _Just because the red-headed bloodsucker is dead, it doesn't mean we have no need to guard our territory. Vampires could travel through at any time, and only the Cullens made an agreement to stay off our land. We need to be prepared, not distracted._

The Cullens. The reason we were a pack. The leeches who hurt Bella. _My_ Bella. I would gladly rip each of them to pieces, slowly and painfully, to exact revenge for the way they had treated her. True, if they hadn't left, instead of being with me, Bella would be dating that bronze-haired leech. For that reason, I was glad they had gone, but I would do anything to take that pain and loss away from her. Anything.

_Then concentrate on the important things. We need to patrol daily. We can't get complacent and let the bloodsuckers take us by surprise._ Sam brought our minds back to the issue at hand.

I needed to learn to guard my mind if I wanted any privacy for me or Bella. There had to be some way to do it. After all, Sam had to think about Emily, yet we didn't see flashes of their personal life unless it was something he wanted us to see. I'd learned the necessities, how to control my body as a werewolf, quickly and easily. It was natural to me. But Sam had learned to control his thoughts, to shut his mind to us. I wanted to learn that kind of control. I had to, if I wanted to do more than kiss Bella. And I did. I wanted so much more. But I couldn't expose her that way. Wouldn't place her in that position, where my pack brothers could see her so intimately. I loved her too much for that.

We finished the patrol without finding any trace of leeches nearby. Perhaps Quil would be spared. I hoped it wasn't already too late for him, even though I missed his company. I waited for the others to leave before I approached Sam.

"How do you do it?" I asked.

"Do what?" Sam shrugged, puzzled.

"How do you keep your private thoughts private? Is it because you're the alpha?" I really hoped this wasn't it. Not only did I want privacy with Bella, I also knew that when the time came, I wanted privacy for everyone else, too. "I know you must think of Emily. But we don't see it. You either know how to block your thoughts or you've learned to control them. I want to learn."

Sam smiled, suddenly aware of what I wanted and why I wanted it. "It's important to learn to control the change itself, the physical danger, before you worry about your privacy. The others haven't mastered that side of our reality as well as you. I suppose it's time you started on the mental aspects, as well." He chuckled and added, "For more than one reason."

He gestured to a bench on their miniscule porch, and we sat. "Think of your mind as a house. There are rooms were you don't want people to go without an invitation. Sometimes, you may not want anyone in the house at all. You have to learn to shut the doors. I mostly keep the front door open. You guys can hang out in the kitchen or the living room. You want a room for privacy. One that has a nice lock on the door. When you want a private thought, you step into that room and lock the door. We can take a run and practice, if you'd like."

I nodded, and we left the porch for the edge of the forest to phase and run. This wasn't like patrolling. It was running for the sheer joy of it.

_Now try it. Think of something you don't want me to know. _

An image of Bella fluttered through my mind. In my imagination, I wasn't the only one who was nearly naked.

_No-no-no-no-no! Go in the room and lock the door. Then think. And practice with something a little less intimate, please._

This time I was careful. I imagined myself at home, walking through the front door, past the living room into my bedroom. I closed the door and locked it. Then I lay on the bed and thought of doing homework with Bella.

_Why are you and Bella reading together?_

It hadn't worked. _We aren't reading; we're doing homework._

_Not bad for a first try. It wasn't clear what you were doing. Try again._

I walked through my house once more, shutting the door. I concentrated on a memory of Bella cooking at Charlie's house.

_That's too easy. You're watching Bella cook._

Frustrated, I tried again. This time, my door was new and made of thick wood. My lock was a dead-bolt. I thought of running with Bella, carrying her to my house the day Victoria almost got to her. The day Bella told me that she loved me.

_You're running, but in human form. Why?_

_I'm carrying Bella._

_Then you're getting better. She's hidden. I can only see you._

Sam and I ran for miles, practicing over and over again until I learned to block things out at least half of the time. He assured me that I was as quick with this aspect of our life as I had been with phasing. I wondered if I was that much better than he was or if it was just because I had someone to teach me. I knew I had an easier time than the rest of the pack, but I wasn't so sure about Sam. I couldn't help wonder how it would have been for me if I had been the first to change. I was eternally grateful I would never know.


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7

By Tekhne

I'd dropped Dad off at Charlie's to watch a baseball game and brought Bella home with me. I hoped for extra innings. It would give me more time with her. Time alone with Bella, something that had become more and more precious to me. We'd gone for a ride on the motorcycles. She'd become surprisingly capable, so this no longer meant regular trips to the emergency room.

Back at the house, Bella made mac and cheese while I sliced some tomatoes. It might not be the most exciting lunch, but it was filling. I added a couple of cold cut sandwiches. Bella laughed as she watched me eat. "I have no idea where you put that. You must be eating Billy out of house and home."

I nodded. "The other day he teased me about needing to catch some rabbits or maybe a deer the next time the pack went out on a patrol. I thought he was serious at first."

We washed the dishes together. It was odd, because I'd never particularly enjoyed that chore. But with Bella, anything was a pleasure. As she dried her hands, I ran my fingers through her silky hair. The ends were tangled from the wind and our motorcycle ride. "Come with me," I said quietly as I took her hand and led her out of the kitchen toward my room, where I lifted her onto my bed. "I'll be right back."

She tilted her head and laughed when I came back in the room carrying a brush and comb. "That's what you had in mind?"

"Your hair is tangled. I'm going to brush it out," I grinned. "Besides, I like to touch your hair."

"As long as you don't try to put makeup on me." She frowned, and I wondered what she was thinking about.

"Why would I want to do that? I like the way you look. You don't need makeup to be beautiful." A shy smile replaced her frown. I crawled on the bed and leaned my back against the wall. "Come 'ere." She crawled back beside me, but I lifted her and sat her in front of me, my legs on either side of her.

Slowly and carefully, I lifted small sections of her hair and used the comb to work through the knots in the ends. When I finished, I began to brush it. Her hair was thick and luxuriously long and fine as a baby's. I divided it into three sections and braided it, tying it off with a band I'd left around the brush handle when my hair used to be long.

When I finished, she sighed and leaned back against me. I wrapped my arms around her possessively and kissed the top of her head. She twisted around to kiss my cheek, but I caught her lips instead. She turned completely so that she was on her knees and facing me. Her hands pressed against my stomach and traveled up my torso and around my neck as she leaned against me, her chin on my chest. It surprised me when shifted her weight and straddled me, pushing my legs together so she could sit on my lap. "It helps with the height difference," she whispered before she kissed me.

My hands slid over her thighs and hips to her waist. I slipped them under her shirt so I could touch her skin.

"Mmmm… your hands are so warm."

I squeezed my hands, massaging her back as she leaned away from me. She was so tiny my hands could almost circle her waist. Her breathing became heavy and a flush crept over her face.

"That feels so good," she gasped.

Watching her face carefully for any negative sign, I brought my hands around to her stomach. She swallowed and placed her tiny hands on top of mine and pulled them higher. She took a deep breath and raised her shirt over her head as my hands reached her breasts. I grasped her bra in the back, struggling for a moment before releasing it. Then I slid the straps over her arms.

Her breasts were as creamy as the rest of her skin, with coral nipples that hardened at my touch. It was my turn to swallow. I knew I had to be careful. I wasn't sure what she'd done with that leech, but she seemed nervous, unconsciously biting her lower lip. It made me believe that this was as new for her as it was for me. I had to be careful, so careful to take things slowly, not to push her. She leaned forward to kiss me and I felt skin, cool against my burning body. Greedily, her lips found mine. It was reassuring – she wanted me as much as I wanted her. I lifted her and rose to my knees so I could lean her back on the bed.

Part of me wanted to touch her, but part of me wanted to just look at her. She was so beautiful. I wanted this to be perfect, and I wasn't sure how to do that. Memories of sex ed classes flashed through my mind. They made sure we knew what not to do, but left out the part about what we should do. I grinned sheepishly, laughing at myself.

"What's so funny?" Bella asked. Panic flashed across her face.

"I just remembered something from a few years ago." I didn't want to tell her about it. It might ruin the mood. But I could tell from her expression that she wasn't going to let it go. "When we were about twelve, Quil and Embry and I intercepted a _Cosmopolitan Magazine_. It was as close as we could get to a _Playboy_ or _Penthouse_. Well, that and a couple of _Victoria's Secret_ catalogs." Bella giggled. She was usually the one blushing, but I could feel the heat in my own cheeks right now. She smiled up at me, waiting for the rest of the story. "We poured over it out in the garage, reading sections aloud, looking at the pictures of the women. We thought those women were incredible and that those magazines would make us irresistible."

Bella stroked my cheek and whispered, "You are irresistible."

"And you're a lot more incredible than those women in the magazines." She was. Beautiful in a way that didn't need makeup and airbrushing.

I leaned forward, trailing slow kisses along her belly until my lips found her breasts. She arched her back as I circled one nipple with my tongue and gently squeezed the other between my finger and thumb. Her breath came faster and she wrapped her legs around my waist.

Now I was having trouble breathing. She'd seen me that day on the beach, but not like this. Right now I wanted her so much, and I didn't want that to scare her. Unfortunately, there was no way to hide that from her right now. What surprised me was that she didn't seem afraid. Or, if she was, it didn't stop her from unfastening my jeans. Her hand against my skin started a chain reaction in my body, and I gasped.

"Jake," she murmured, "do you have –"

Condoms! I didn't have them. I hadn't planned this. I'd thought about it, but not planned it. "No." I pulled away from her. "I don't have any. I didn't think –" Unless I was hearing things, we had worse problems than no condoms.

"What is it, Jake? What's wrong?"

I grabbed her shirt. "Charlie brought Dad home. They're outside. Get dressed in the bathroom."

"But –"

"Go. I'll pretend to be asleep." Charlie might kill us both -- if he caught us. He hadn't been pleased the last time he'd found us together in my room and we hadn't been doing anything that might upset him then. I rolled onto my stomach trying to think of anything but Bella. Bowling. Homework. Nuns.

"Bella? Jake?" I heard Charlie muttering as he stomped down the hall. "I swear, Billy, if those kids are back in that bedroom again we're going to have to start keeping a more careful eye on them."

As if on cue, Bella flushed the toilet. I heard the water from the faucet as she washed her hands before she opened the door, running into Charlie on the way out. "Ch—Dad."

"Is Jacob in there asleep?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah. We hung out earlier, but he was tired after we ate lunch." Her voice became fainter. "Why don't you let him sleep?"

Dad chuckled, "That's probably a good idea."

"You can just come home with me, Bella," Charlie suggested. "That way Jake can nap as long as he wants."

Bella hesitated. "Sure, Dad. Just a second, OK?" Her steps grew louder as approached my room. Her lips brushed against my cheek, and she whispered, "Next time we'll plan things better."

Next time. I was picking up some condoms tonight. I'd find a better place than my bedroom, too. Someplace neither Dad nor Charlie would interrupt us. I wanted jump up and down and scream. But I settled for breathing deeply as I listened to Bella and Charlie drive away.


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8

By Tekhne

Bella surprised me that day in my bedroom, but now that I knew she wanted me as much as I wanted her, I'd taken the time to plan more carefully. This time, Dad and Charlie wouldn't interrupt us and I'd be prepared. At least, if Bella hadn't changed her mind. I had to be ready for that, too.

I was excited when she arrived at my house. The day was cloudy, but without rain, and she was ready for a short hike. It was a place I'd actually discovered as a wolf, but I liked to go there alone and think. I'd spent a lot of time thinking about Bella there, especially before she knew I'd turned into a werewolf. I led her carefully along the route – it wasn't really a trail. I ducked and led her through a bramble, covering her body to protect her from the thorns. She seemed concerned over a few scratches on my back, but marveled when they healed quickly.

When we reached the rock, she leaned against it and looked around. Diffused light filtered through the trees, casting patches on the ground. A spring gurgled nearby.

"This is beautiful, Jacob," she whispered, as if somehow speaking aloud would destroy the magic of this place.

I took her hand in mine and kissed her forehead. She had no idea what real beauty was. I led her across the moss-covered forest floor.

She laughed. "It's like carpet. No, it's softer than carpet." She sat abruptly, pulling me down to the ground with her. I leaned on one arm, letting her rest against me. I wondered if she had any idea how nervous I was. The last time just happened, so there was no awkwardness to it. Not much, at least. But I wasn't sure what to do next.

Finally, after much forethought, I pulled her onto my lap and kissed her. She responded eagerly, her tongue searching for mine, skimming over my teeth before she gently nipped my lower lip. She twisted in my lap, facing me, and placed her hands on my shoulders.

"You remember that day I told you that you were sort of beautiful?"

"The day you cracked your head open falling off a motorcycle?"

"That's the day."

"I remember," I whispered hoarsely.

"I lied."

Surprised, I swallowed. I kept my face stoic, though.

She grinned. "You aren't sort of beautiful at all. You _are_ beautiful. Completely, totally, insanely beautiful."

My smile spread across my face so wide it hurt. "And what would that make you?"

"Lucky?"

I kissed her. "I meant in terms of beautiful. If I'm insanely beautiful, what does that make you? Because I assure you, you win the beauty contest hands-down."

She giggled and whispered, "Stop talking," before she kissed me. When she broke away to breathe, she pushed me onto my back. I lay there, raising my knees behind her as I slid my hands over her thighs, resting them on her hips, my thumbs touching the bare skin underneath her shirt. She leaned on my chest, her weight barely registering. "Charlie and Billy won't interrupt us here," she grinned.

"No." I couldn't help grinning back. I reached higher under her shirt. She leaned back, grabbed the bottom and pulled it off. When she reached behind her to unfasten her bra, I caught her hands and whispered, "No need to rush." I wanted to make this last as long as I could, to savor every moment. I cupped my hands following the curve of her body up her torso. I reached behind her, grasping her head in my hand as I sat up to kiss her. Her hands pressed against my stomach, making my skin tingle. Oh, yes, this was heaven.

After unbuttoning the top of my jeans, she tugged carefully at the zipper then slid her hands around to my butt. She didn't seem surprised at my bare skin. Her hands felt cool and soft, and I wanted her to touch me everywhere.

I unhooked her bra. It was easier this time. She leaned back against my knees, exposing her breasts, pink from the blush that spread across her face and over her chest. I lay back again, amazed that such a beauty wanted me. My hands felt huge on her tiny body, enormous on her breasts as I cupped them. She leaned forward a bit, pressing into my palms. I circled her nipples with my fingers, brushing lightly against them, and felt them harden to my touch. She sighed quietly, and I curled up again, covering one of her breasts with my mouth. Her skin grew tight under my tongue, and I kissed the valley between as I found her other nipple and suckled it, bringing it taut in my mouth.

If this was so sweet, what could I look forward to? She shuddered against me and reached for her own jeans. I grabbed her wrists and raised my lips to hers, breaking the kiss long enough to whisper, "Take your time. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind if this lasted forever."

"I like that idea, too."

This time, I shifted, laying her gently on her back against the carpet of moss. Her hair fanned out behind her, dark brown against the deep green. I kept one hand caressing her breasts while I reached behind me to pull off her shoes. She slid her hands down the back of my shorts again, pushing them down my thighs so they bundled around my knees. Her eyes widened and she raised her eyebrows, but then she gave me a look of utter trust.

She reached for me, but again, I caught her wrists. This time, I unbuttoned her jeans and pulled the zipper down. Underneath the denim, her panties were cotton, trimmed in lace. There was a pattern of pink flowers on an aqua background. I lifted her legs over my shoulders and shimmied her jeans off. I kissed her ankle where it lay on my shoulder, but with her other leg she pushed my shorts away, leaving me naked. I trailed kisses along her calve and behind her knee while I ran my hand up her body, tweaking her nipple between my thumb and forefinger. I lifted her other leg to my shoulder again and kissed the sole of her foot. My lips inched upwards to her thigh and I pulled her panties aside to touch her soft skin with my tongue. She gasped and arched her back, and I took that moment to pull her panties off.

Her blush deepened, and she smiled. Her arms reached behind her as she opened herself up to me freely, filled with trust. With my hands, I spread her thighs, running my finger through the dark hair there, sliding my thumbs into her hot, wet flesh. Then I lifted her, tasting her, dipping my tongue inside her. She wriggled against me, breathless, as my tongue rimmed her entrance and thrust inside again. She was tight and tiny, and I worried about hurting her, but, for now, I knew she felt pleasure.

I pulled up to watch her face as I slid my fingers through her slick folds. I found her nub and began to tease it with my thumb as I slid a finger inside her. She pulsed against me and moaned, breathing hard. Her chest rose and fell, and in-between gasps she smiled. Carefully, I circled her entrance, this time, thrusting two inside.

She realized what I was doing and whispered, "Yes." She pressed against me harder and groaned, "More." I felt her walls stretch as I added another finger. She shuddered against my hand. This time she gazed against into my eyes and pleaded, "Now."

I groped behind me for my shorts and dipped my hand in the pocket for a condom. I ripped the package open with my teeth. Bella watched as I rolled the condom on, her muscles still contracting around my fingers. I leaned over her, resting my weight on one arm as I guided the tip to her entrance. She surprised me by thrusting against me and pulling me inside with her muscles. I shifted my weight to both arms as she wrapped her legs around me, each thrust bringing me farther inside. I thought I would burst as she clung to me, lifting her body up off the ground, and she screamed into the cool wind.

Within moments, I joined her, groaning deeply as my body trembled against hers. She leaned her head back, her eyes meeting mine. She refused to let go, so I held us both off the ground. She grinned, still unwilling to separate, and I finally shifted my weight to one arm and rolled onto my back. She lay, collapsed against me, her body as warm as mine. Now I could wrap her in my arms, and I did. Her breath played across my chest, and she climbed up my body to kiss me. She laughed as the rains came, the water pelting against our flesh and washing us clean as we lay there together on the soft bed of moss.


	9. Chapter 9

Part 9

By Tekhne

Jacob ran the comb skillfully through my wet hair. It amazed me how gentle he was; how his huge hands could move so dexterously, weaving a tight braid that would leave my hair in waves when I unbound it. When he finished, he kissed the back of my neck and squeezed my shoulders. I leaned back, reclining partly on the couch and partly on him. His arms circled me. He was so warm.

Charlie and Billy arrive to disturb our peace. Billy just chuckled when he saw us, but Charlie frowned. I was afraid what he might say, but he surprised me. "Bells, what are you wearing?"

It was Jacob who answered him, chuckling, "We got caught in the rain, Charlie. She needed something dry." I laughed, embarrassed. Jacob's cut off sweats fell halfway down my calves. His tee-shirt was long enough to be a dress. The sleeves fell past my elbows.

"Why does it seem like every time I come here you're wearing Jake's clothes, Bella?" Charlie teased. If he knew the whole story, he wouldn't be smiling.

I wasn't sure what to say, but again, Jacob spoke. "Between the ocean and the rain, it's pretty wet around here." He relaxed his hold, returning his hands to my shoulders. He kissed the back of my neck again. I swallowed, ready for Charlie to protest, but he just raised his eyebrows. Billy grinned at Jacob and the two of them disappeared into the kitchen. I suspected we'd be having another 'Black Secret Family Recipe' for dinner, but Charlie surprised me when he reappeared quickly and suggested that I come on home. I frowned, but Jacob kissed my cheek and I headed out with Charlie.

I pulled my truck in beside his cruiser and he waited for me in the driveway. I knew something was up. Still, I wasn't prepared when he asked, "Bells, when did things get so serious with Jacob?"

"We've been spending a lot of time together, Ch – Dad. Jake's a great guy."

"He is. He and Billy are almost family." Charlie grinned, but a more serious expression quickly replaced his smile. "You just seem to have gotten awfully close, awfully fast. Jake's a good kid. Billy's done a good job raising him mostly on his own. He's exactly the kind of boy that I want to see you with. I just want to make sure you aren't rushing into anything."

Rushing into things. The past month had gone fast. I'd gone from thinking of Jake as my best friend to knowing he was so much more. Charlie would be appalled if he knew just how much more. Did he suspect anything?

"You'll be going away to college soon. Long distance dating can be really hard."

So that was it. He was worried about me not going to college because of Jacob.

"We'll figure something out. I'm kind of limited in my choices because I put off applications for so long." Maybe I'd wait a year. That wouldn't be so bad.

He nodded. "The school counselor called me yesterday. She'd taken some of your work and nominated you for a special program at UCLA. She heard back from them yesterday and dropped off the packet of information earlier today. She wanted to make sure that we both knew what kind of opportunity this was. It comes with joint scholarship and grants that will cover everything. Tuition, room and board, books as long as you keep up your grades and work fifteen hours a week on campus. They'll try to assign you something that relates to you talents and your choice of majors." Charlie hesitated. "It sounds great, but it's in Los Angeles. I thought that might be difficult for you. I know it's a big city…"

Surprisingly, it didn't hurt to breath when I realized what he wasn't saying. "It's a full ride to a good school that just happens to be where the Cullens moved?" The decoy where they'd never in a million years really move. "You're worried what would happen if I run into Edward?" I expected it to hurt, at least a little, when I said his name. I could tell that Charlie was surprised to hear it. "I think I can handle it, Dad. Like you said, Los Angeles is a big city." And he's not even there, anyway. "I'll talk to Mrs. Burke about it on Monday to find out what I need to do. I think that's going to be my best option, though."

Charlie frowned, obviously still concerned.

"It'll be fine, Dad. Really." The worst part would be living so far away. But I could make it work. Even if it was just for a year and I transferred somewhere closer to Forks. I might be alone, but I'd know someone who loved me was waiting for me at home.


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10

By Tekhne

"What's up, Bells?" Jacob whispered as he came in the front door. He leaned down to kiss me, his lips warm against mine. Charlie coughed, and Jake pulled away with a chuckle and grabbed my hand. "Hi, Charlie," he grinned as we walked into the kitchen.

"Bella cooked," Charlie assured him.

Jacob laughed. "That was kind of obvious, Charlie. There isn't any smoke in the kitchen." He sniffed the air. "Mmmm…smells good."

"I looked up the recipe on the computer. I keep trying to think of new things to do with fish." We had enough fish to feed a small army for a year, thanks to Charlie. It helped with the grocery expenses, but sometimes it got a little dull.

"So whats new about the fish tonight?" Charlie said, nervous. I'd been cooking for him for more than a year, but he still remembered my mother's experimental cooking. I couldn't blame him for his skepticism about new recipes.

"It sounded interesting," I explained. "It's sort of like a pot roast, but with fish instead. And instead of using water, you use a cream sauce with dill as the stock. If it doesn't taste good, we can always order pizza."

Charlie looked relieved.

"It smells too good to taste bad," Jacob declared with certainty. "If Charlie doesn't like it, I'll eat his portion."

I felt certain about that. In fact, knowing Jacob was coming, I'd doubled the recipe and added a couple of extra pieces of fish on top of that. I didn't want to send him home hungry.

"Can I help with anything?" Jacob asked.

"You can set the table. And Dad, you can pour us each some milk while I get these muffins ready." The nice thing about this meal was that everything but the bread was in one pot. It would be easy to serve.

Jacob knew his way around our kitchen and had the dishes and silverware on the table in no time. Charlie placed a filled glass near each plate. Jacob appeared beside and whisked the basket of muffins out of my hand and grabbed the butter from the refrigerator on his way to the table. "You can both have a seat. I'll bring the fish."

But Jacob was already there, pot holders in his hands. "Let me get it."

I grabbed a serving spoon and a ladle for the sauce and he followed me to the table. Charlie grinned broadly as he watched Jacob settle the pot on the trivet in the center of the table and remove the cover. He raised his eyebrows, evaluating the food. Apparently satisfied, he held out his hand for Jacob's plate, heaping it full with two pieces of fish and digging under the fish for large helpings of vegetables. Jacob took the ladle and poured copious amounts of sauce over everything. Charlie finished serving and watched while Jacob took a bite.

"Mmmmm…" Jacob closed his eyes. "Bells, this is really good." He couldn't talk anymore because his mouth was full.

Charlie nodded agreement, all skepticism gone. Both of them were grabbing second helpings before I finished my first. I wondered if they'd slow down enough to talk before the meal was over.

"I guess I'll have to save that recipe." I was glad. It was something different and easy.

"Bella, you're the best cook I know. Even better than Emily," Jacob murmured. Charlie eyed us both.

I hadn't told Jacob yet about the scholarship. I'd planned to do it tonight. I would miss him so much. But I wanted college, too. California was really my only choice right now.

Jacob, as observant as ever, must have noticed something in my expression. "What's wrong, Bells?"

"It's not really something wrong. It's good, mostly." Except for being away from you.

"If it's good, then why don't you seem happier about it?" Jacob's gentle voice urged me on.

I shrugged. "Mostly good, I said. I got a scholarship. I was a little surprised, since I hadn't applied, but Mrs. Burke at school nominated me for this program."

"That's great, Bells!" Jacob smiled, clearly proud of me. He reached across the table to squeeze my hand. "What's the downside?"

"The scholarship is to UCLA." I waited for the news to sink in.

Charlie watched Jacob. I knew he was concerned that Jacob would worry about the same thing he had: Edward. But Jacob knew what Charlie didn't: the Cullens had never gone to California. He understood that the real downside would be missing him.

"It's not the end of the earth, Bella. You'll be home holidays and summers." He held my gaze, the emotion fueling his voice. "I'm not going anywhere. Unless it's a road trip to California to visit you."

I watched the tension ease from Charlie's shoulders. He grinned first at me, then at Jacob.

"College is important, and a scholarship is great." Jacob tugged at a strand of my hair. "Besides, I _like_ smart girls. Being smart is almost as important as being a good cook." He chuckled as he filled his plate for a third time.


	11. Chapter 11

Part 11

By Tekhne

I missed Jacob. I knew I was going to miss him, that had never been in question. But somehow, even in sunny California, it felt cold without him. We emailed every day and had downloaded a program that let us talk over the Internet. My roommate, Kathy, gave me a hard time about having a 'hometown honey' and warned me that most couples didn't survive the split of one person going away to college while the other stayed behind. She and her high school boyfriend had gone off to different colleges and agreed to see other people. She had no idea how much I needed Jacob or how much he loved me.

She'd brought some friends home with her today. They were drinking beer and watching some ballgame on television. They were noisier than Charlie, but I had gotten used to it.

"Hey, Bella, why don't you come join us?" one of the guys, I think his name was Patrick, called.

"I'm not much for sports. I'm clumsy when I play them and I can never keep the rules straight when I watch them," I explained. "Besides, my boyfriend's expecting a call."

"Boyfriend," repeated another one of the guys. "Anyone I know the lucky guy?"

"I doubt it," I laughed. "Not unless you hang out in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state."

"Ah, so he's going to college there?" Burt, Kathy's latest conquest, asked.

Kathy laughed. "No. He's not going to college. He's still in high school."

"Still dating someone in high school? That's so lame," Patrick commented.

"I keep trying to tell her that she could go out with someone here, and he'd never know," Kathy teased. "But she's hopelessly devoted to him." She sang the last part.

Burt rolled his eyes. "She's right, you know. I could fix you up."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'll stick with Jacob." It made me smile just to think of him.

"Well, I think it's sweet," chirped Lissa, one of Kathy's girlfriends. "It's romantic."

"Sweet," mimicked Patrick.

"Romantic," Burt said in a high pitched voice. "I'm telling you, I could fix you up. One of my roommates thinks you're really hot. He'd go out with you in a heartbeat."

"She said she wasn't interested, Burt," said the guy I didn't know.

Burt glared at him. "What's it to you, Travis?"

So that was his name. He glanced at me and back to Burt before he answered. "I dated my high school girlfriend for three years. We stayed together after we started college. I drove out to Nevada to surprise her one weekend. She didn't know I was coming." He frowned, and shook his head at the memory. "It was a surprise all right! For me. She was with another guy." He looked straight at me. "Don't let these guys push you into something you don't want. If he's a good guy, being apart won't matter." Burt and Patrick groaned and threw empty beer cans at him.

I couldn't help smiling. Travis seemed like a higher caliber friend than most of the guys Kathy hung out with. I felt sorry for him. He was obviously still hurting. "You'll find someone, you know. I had a bad break-up and didn't handle it well. Jacob was my best friend and helped me through it. Then one day I realized what I was missing by pining after someone who didn't want me, anyway. Especially when someone like Jacob did want me. Jacob and I have been together since. I miss him, but at least we get to talk every day."

Travis smiled and glanced at Lissa. Maybe things were already working out for him. Or would soon. "Jacob is probably wondering where I am. It's past time for our Internet call." Mostly, I just didn't want to miss him. I needed to hear his voice.


	12. Chapter 12

Part 12

By Tekhne

I'd missed talking to Jacob last night. It wasn't a surprise, he'd told me the day before that he'd be busy. When he wasn't forthcoming with any more information, I assumed there must be a new vampire in Forks and that he'd be out with the pack. Even after seeing him take down Victoria, I worried. I hoped he'd be there tonight. I didn't want to go two days in a row without talking to him.

As I waited, I read. I was taking a Shakespeare class that compared the original plays to modern novelizations, like _King Lear_ and _A Thousand Acres_ or _Hamlet_ and _Gertrude and Claudius_. The latter was more of a prequel, but it was interesting. It made me look at _Hamlet_ a little differently. I lay, curled up on the couch in our suite, reviewing the book for class the next day, when someone knocked on the door.

I frowned. It was probably one of Kathy's friends. Or Kathy had forgotten her key again. She wasn't the worst roommate in the world, just annoying, sometimes. With a sigh, I laid the book down on the table and opened the door.

Strong, warm arms seemed to reach out of nowhere and scoop me up. "Jacob!" I breathed. "What are you doing here? This is why you were busy? You were driving down here!" He laughed and spun me in a circle.

"So I take it you're happy to see me?" he teased.

"I'm thrilled! But it's the middle of the week. Are you skipping school? Does Billy know?" I asked the questions, but I really didn't care. All that mattered was that he was here, and I hadn't seen him in so long.

He carried me inside, closing the door behind him. He found my rocking chair and sat with me in his lap. "Dad knows I'm here. And I'm not exactly skipping school," he explained.

"Not exactly?" I repeated. "What does that mean?"

More serious than I'd ever seen him, at least, since we'd gotten past him turning into a werewolf, he whispered. "I'm not in school anymore."

"Jacob Black, you did not drop out of high school. Tell me you didn't." He knew better. He had to know better.

He shook his head. "I didn't drop out. But I'm sixteen, and that's old enough to leave school and take a high school equivalency test." He took a deep breath. "I thought about it a long time before I decided to do it."

"Why did you decide to do it?" I couldn't help wondering.

He lowered his head. "For obvious reasons, I can't leave La Push, at least, not for a long period of time."

"Like going away to college," I murmured.

"Exactly. Just like Sam had to stay, so do I. But I love you, Bella. I want us to be together. I know we never talked about this. About the future. For us. But I know I want you Bella, and I hope you want me. I just don't want anything to stand in our way when that time comes. I intend to be ready. I plan to be able to take care of you." His words rushed out. I could tell he was nervous. "With Dad's disability, the paperwork to leave school was easy. And, well, John Dowling needed some competition. Dad took out a small business loan, and I'm going to set up shop as a mechanic."

He watched my expression intently. "You're starting a business?" He was good at it. He enjoyed it. But he was so young for so much pressure.

"Dad's going to handle the financial end of it. I'll be doing something I like to do, anyway." He paused and grinned. "I'll also be taking computer classes for a college degree. One of the online programs. There are a lot of scholarship programs for Indian kids; I figured I should take advantage of that. Sam and I are starting classes together."

"That's a lot of responsibility, Jacob." I hoped he understood my concern.

"It was my choice. I talked it out with Dad and with Sam. They both supported my decision. I hope you can." He sounded suddenly doubtful.

I stroked his cheek then pressed my forehead against his. "Of course I support your decision. That doesn't mean I can't worry about you, does it?"

A relieved smile spread across his face. "I can take care of myself, Bella." His lips found mine and I could barely breathe as he kissed me.

Disjointed thoughts ran through my mind. He did this for me. So much responsibility for him. That feels so good.

He pulled away. "I have missed you so much," he murmured between kisses. His skin was so warm and I wanted nothing more than to touch him, skin to skin. I raised his shirt over his head and tossed it across the room before drawing my tongue slowly up his chest. He shivered in response.

"Your turn," he whispered hoarsely, lifting my shirt. I'm not sure what he did with it because I could only concentrate on his hands against my body, his lips on the tops of my breasts as I struggled to breathe. At some point, my bra disappeared and he kissed my breasts, his tongue teasing each nipple in turn.

I felt his desire, his need, as each movement shifted the rocking chair, pressing him against me. Taking a long, shuddering breath, I pulled away to unfasten his jeans, massaging him with one hand as I pushed the jeans down his hips as far as I could. He lifted me up, pressing his thighs against me and off the chair. My arms behind me, I yanked his jeans away. He was hard and ready for me, pressed against my belly. It made me want him even more. He kissed me hungrily and lifted me so I could unfasten and push my jeans over my hips. With one hand, he yanked my panties down. I raised my knees in a tangle of denim and underwear and he finished taking them off, one leg at a time.

He stopped for a moment, let out a deep, shuddering breath, and groaned, "Oh, no."

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"The condoms are in my bag. In the car." He leaned his head back and breathed deeply again.

I grinned, "Not to worry."

"Bella, if you get pregnant, Charlie will kill me. I'm hard to kill, but he'll find a way."

I couldn't help laughing. "That wasn't what I meant. I was hoping you could come visit sometime, and I knew I was going home for Thanksgiving and the holidays. I got birth control pills at student health."

He stared into my eyes, unbelieving. "You mean – "

"I mean we don't have to worry about condoms any more. I thought you'd like that."

"Right now I like it more than you can imagine." His whisper was husky and he kissed me again as his fingers explored between my legs, his thumb finding my nub and pressing in circles against it. I arched my back as something inside my body seemed to explode. I struggled to breathe and realized he was watching my breasts heave with each breath. I reached for his shoulders, shifting in his lap. I could tell he wanted me to wait, but I was so ready for him. I wanted him inside me, now. We could go into the bedroom and make slow, leisurely love when we finished here. I needed him now.

He sensed my urgency and his hands crept over my hips. He lifted me and I guided him to my entrance. He lowered me gently over him and I let my weight carry me down on him as he began to thrust. Beneath us, the chair rocked with every movement. I held him tightly, marveling at the taut muscles of his back and shoulders underneath my fingertips. Over and over he pushed into me, filling me, exploring me, his skin, for the first time, warm against my core.

My body burned from the inside out and I quivered around him. Unable to sit any longer, I leaned back over his legs and curled mine around him and the back of the chair. His fingers found my nub again, and I gasped as my nerves tingled with pleasure, my body trembling at his touch.

"You like that?" he asked, his own breathing jagged.

"Oh, yes," I moaned, unable to make my mouth form more words as my body shivered with each thrust of his hips. I felt the tremors in his legs and knew his own climax would follow soon. I tightened around him and watched his face as he opened his mouth and uttered a slow groan of pleasure. I pressed against him, pushing him deeper and forcing myself against his hand at the same time. And then, as if he had found some switch hidden inside me, my body quaked violently against him.

Gasping, I dropped my legs and rested my feet on the top of the rockers behind the chair. Jacob still rocked the chair gently, caressing my nub at the same time. I noticed that his breathing had returned to normal while I still struggled for air.

"I don't believe I ever fully appreciated this rocking chair before," he grinned. Still stretched over his legs, my body tingling from his touch, I smiled, unable to speak. His hands, gentle and warm, explored me, seeking out every sensitive part. I sighed, utterly content.


	13. Chapter 13

Part 13

By Tekhne

I woke with a start, unsure of where I was until I realized that Bella slept curled up against me, her head pillowed on my chest. I smiled and breathed deeply. I could get used to waking up beside her. She murmured something, her lips moving as they touched my skin, her breath tickling me. I hoped she wasn't cold, as I had kicked the sheet off sometime in the night.

She was so soft, so delicate, so tiny. I could cover her fist completely with my hand. Her skin, pale and translucent in contrast to mine, seemed to glow in the morning light. Her hair fanned out over my torso and the pillow like a dark curtain of silk. She was so beautiful, and she loved me.

As I watched her, she stirred beside me. She breathed deeply and rubbed her face against my chest before she opened her eyes. "You are here," she said after a moment, her voice low. "I thought it might be some wonderful dream."

I couldn't keep from laughing. "You don't know how many times I've wondered the same thing."

She grinned and ran her hand down my side. Her touch, gentle and firm, made me shiver. "I know you're not cold," she whispered.

"You're right. I'm not cold."

Her hand moved farther down, and I breathed deeply. She shifted suddenly, surprising me as she straddled me. She lowered herself on me, taking me in slowly, closing tightly around me. She leaned against me, placing her hands on my chest, and raised her hips, rising and falling slowly on top of me.

I touched her hands, pressing them harder into my chest before sliding them up her arms and squeezing her shoulders. She tilted her head back and sighed. I swept my hands down her back, unable to resist grabbing her butt. She giggled, still swaying above me. My hands traveled over her thighs then up her belly to her breasts. I pressed against her nipples, circling them, watching as they hardened to my touch. She smiled, and I returned the expression. "I love that smile." My words were barely audible, but she heard. Her cheeks burned a deep red. "It's not just the way you smile when we make love. It's the same when you first see me. That smile. I think that's what love looks like."

"And is this was love feels like?" she asked as she rocked gently against me.

"No," I said, my voice serious. Her face crumpled for a moment as her eyes filled with tears. "Bella, Bella, no. That isn't what I meant. I love you, Bella." I pulled up, holding her body to me. "Bella, I loved you for so long. I loved you before I ever hoped you might love me back. Before I ever dreamed of touching you like this. This isn't what love feels like because I loved you for so long without even kissing you. Do you understand me?"

She nodded, tears still welled in her eyes, but her smile told me she understood. "This," I whispered, "is what heaven feels like." The tears spilled over, and I wiped them off her cheeks. "I love you, Bella."

"So what does love feel like?"

How she could talk while her body reeled against mine with such determination amazed me. I had trouble stringing words together when I was lost inside her. But I knew she needed an answer, so I concentrated. "Love feels like…" I paused, breathing heavily as I tried to put my feelings into some concrete example. "Love feels like sitting alone with you and not needing to talk or even touch to know what the other one is feeling."

"Somehow, you always knew what I needed. You still do." She touched my skin with her fingertips, pushing me back with the lightest pressure.

I fell against the bed and she rocked harder and faster on top of me. I could run for miles without breathing hard, but with Bella I felt out of control as I never had when I was a wolf. I struggled to breathe; I struggled to hold back, even as she urged me on. Did she have any idea what she did to me? Did I do that to her? I braced myself against the bed as I heaved underneath her, thrusting deeper as Bella, tiny Bella, squeezed tighter and tighter until I could no longer contain myself. I tilted my head back, opening my throat as I cried out.

Bella swayed, her hips rotating against mine, beaming as I groaned. I might explode when I turned into a wolf, but this force was every bit as strong. She sighed, her body still pulsing along with mine, and laughed, "You liked that, didn't you?"

Still unable to speak, I nodded. And this was different, staying inside her as she lay against me, her arms draped over my shoulders, her head resting on my chest as our breathing returned to normal.

What would it be like, I wondered again, to wake up like this every day? To hold her in my arms every night? She hadn't balked when I talked about marriage. She'd only worried about me working too hard. So often, I knew just what she wanted, what she needed, but this time I was so afraid of reading my own feelings about marriage into her response. I was sure. No doubts lingered in my mind, if they had ever been there at all. I had my goal, my five-year plan. I would finish college the semester after Bella. I would have a business. I could support her. And after college, I would have more opportunities and cars could become a hobby again. Charlie liked me. He'd be happy, too, if Bella wanted me. In five years, just five long years, I could be married to this beauty beside me. But was she ready for that kind of commitment? Had I scared her with my news?

"You're thinking awfully hard, Jake," she whispered.

"About you." I grinned. "I've never been so happy to wake up."

"This was a special morning. The first time we've ever made love and then been able to actually sleep together in the same bed." She pulled away, moving higher up on my body until her face was even with mine. "A momentous occasion. I think we should celebrate."

"I think we already celebrated."

There was that smile again. "We certainly did. But I was thinking breakfast might be in order. Especially since I don't recall stopping for dinner last night. I'm fine, but you must be starving."

"Honestly, I haven't even thought about food until you just mentioned it."

This time, she held her hand to my forehead. "How does one tell when a werewolf has a fever?"

"Werewolves don't get fevers," I smirked. "Or they have them all the time; however you want to put it." My stomach betrayed me, growling loudly.

"Sounds like that now you've thought of it, your brain let your stomach know you're hungry." Bella started to move.

I grabbed her hand. "I'd like to take a shower first."

"You can do that while I cook."

"I heard there's a drought here. You need a shower, too. I thought we might conserve water." I knew my grin was wicked.

When Bella tilted her head and said, "You think?" before she kissed my forehead, I knew we had a plan. I carried her into the bathroom, her laughter, like music, ringing in my ears.


	14. Chapter 14

Part 14

By Tekhne

I checked the water in the shower while Bella brushed her teeth. My toothbrush was still in the duffle bag in my car. I reached over Bella and squeezed some toothpaste onto my finger. At least my breath didn't need to be vile. I'd need to brush my teeth after breakfast, anyway. I jumped in the shower and used my finger to scrub away as much morning breath as I could. Warm water pelted against my skin, reminding me of the rain the first time Bella and I made love.

Then Bella stepped into the shower. I had to inhale deeply when I saw her. It was always the same. She was so beautiful. Nothing I had ever done, could ever do, could be enough to deserve her. But somehow, she felt she didn't deserve me, simply because she loved someone else first. It wasn't her fault he left her broken. But it was a miracle that I could offer what she needed to be whole again.

It wasn't that he was totally gone from our lives. I knew that sometimes, when I found her sitting in the silence and staring at nothing, she was thinking of him. But it didn't happen often. Not anymore. He'd cleared out of her heart the same way he'd cleared out of her life. What's more, she accepted me. All of me. The part that got big and hairy and turned into a giant dog. I didn't scare her. I could protect her, too.

My mind had wandered as she soaped my body in the warmth of the shower. Last night and everything since then had left my body electrified. I thought I could never want Bella more than I already did, but every time I looked at her, heard her voice, everything in me cried out for her. Was this what addiction was like? Would there ever come a day that I could look at her without wanting her that very minute?

She soaked a sponge and reached up to wring the water out on my shoulders and the suds slid down my body. She brought the sponge to my chest and twisted it, letting water and soap run over my stomach in rivulets. She moved the sponge lower still and smiled up at me when her hand brushed over my hardness. She dropped so abruptly, I thought, at first, that she'd fallen, but when her lips touched me, I knew it was no accident.

I braced my hands against the wall of the shower and dropped my head as the shock hit me. She'd never done this before, taken me in her mouth. It wasn't as tight as being inside her, but I could feel the light rhythm of her breath over my skin and her tongue swirling around the tip, where I was so sensitive. It made me gasp for breath. I knew she couldn't take me all the way in, and I stayed as still as possible, letting her take control. She wrapped on arm around me, squeezing my butt. With her other hand, she grasped the base, sliding her fingers up and down.

The water ran down my chest and stomach, over her face as the shower spilled into her hair turning it to soft, wet silk. I watched, mesmerized, from above as her lips enveloped me. Her body swayed against my legs and I took a deep breath to steady myself. I shuddered and moaned, my voice louder than the shower, as the touch of her tongue made me shiver.

She opened her eyes briefly as she pulled away and smiled up at me, then took me again in her mouth. Pressure built inside me, pressing against every nerve in my body, draining everything but my need for her. I couldn't stop myself; I thrust, following her pace. Softly at first, but then harder.

The muscles in my legs shook and I trembled like a leaf, and still she held me between her lips, caressing me with her tongue. I was nothing but my senses, wanting her in every way possible. I wanted to wrap her hair in my hands, but I was afraid to let go of the wall. Her hand slid harder and faster at the base and my stomach tightened.

I wanted this feeling to last forever. I held back, but nothing could stop what Bella had started. My legs buckled and I gripped the wall tighter to keep from falling, from crushing her under my weight. She never even pulled away, even as I lost control. She was breathing hard when she released me, her hands still clutching me as I sank to my knees with her.

"You liked that," she gasped, still catching her breath.

"Oh, yes," I murmured, my voice hoarse. I reached for her, pulling her over my knees to hold her closer to my face, closer to me. Her breasts, soft and round, pressed against my chest. My lips found hers, warm and sweet.

She nibbled my lip and laughed, "You know, we still have to take a shower." My stomach picked that moment to growl again. "And feed the wolf."

I couldn't deny I was hungry. But part of me didn't want this moment to end, either. I compromised and reached for the shampoo. She stood still as I massaged the soap into her scalp and sighed contentedly as I rinsed it out and spread conditioner through her hair. She murmured quietly and I brought my hands down, slipping one behind her neck to knead at that spot where tension builds. She sighed contentedly as I rubbed her shoulders and back, then took the sponge and lathered her body, finally dropping it and using my hands to smooth the soap along her soft skin. I turned her about under the water, watching the spray reveal her as it washed the foam down her body. Just looking at her made me breathless, so I inhaled deeply and kissed her as I rinsed the conditioner from her hair.

The hot water made her skin pinker than I'd ever seen it, as if she were blushing all over. I grinned at the thought and turned off the water before I wrapped her in a towel and reached for another to use myself. She found a third one for her hair.

She kissed me and headed toward her bedroom. I snagged my jeans from the common room of their suite then followed her. She laughed as I hopped first on one leg, then the other to put on my pants. I watched her, wrapped up in terrycloth, as she arranged clothes for herself. Before she could dress, I found her comb and patted the bed. It had been a long time since I'd braided her hair. I liked the way it felt; softer, sleeker than mine ever had.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"I can wait a few minutes more. This won't take long."

She sank in front of me on the bed and I pulled the comb gently through her tangled hair, braiding it quickly and tying it off with a band I'd noticed earlier on her bedside table. I would have been content to stay there with her leaned up against me, but my stomach erupted again with a loud growl. Bella laughed and stood as she tugged my arm and led the way to the kitchenette in their suite.

"Breakfast time for the werewolf," she grinned at me. But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, regret flashed across her face. She tried to hide it with a kiss on my cheek, but I had seen it. It was a pain I recognized, and I wondered what had brought him into her mind at that moment.


	15. Chapter 15

Part 15

By Tekhne

"Mmmm… Jake… I have cereal and cereal. Nothing else is very breakfasty." She frowned. "I can make you toast. Or grilled cheese. Or soup. Or Ramen."

It made me laugh to watch her search so desperately for something to quell my appetite. "Cereal's fine. As long as you have plenty of it." She smiled with relief and placed two boxes of cereal, two bowls and spoons on the table. I grabbed the milk out of the fridge.

"There's juice, too," she mumbled as she grabbed a couple of glasses from another cabinet. I reached back inside the refrigerator and found some cranberry juice. That was different. I raised an eyebrow as I stared at the bottle.

Bella chuckled. "I experiment with juice. Cranberry is one of the few that Kathy won't use for mixed drinks. Orange juice disappears way too fast," she explained as she poured us each a glass.

I poured cereal and milk into my bowl and began to eat. "Not the best roommate?" I asked between bites.

She shrugged. "It could be worse. She doesn't wear my clothes. She's clean enough and picks up after herself. If she's late she doesn't make a lot of noise. She's OK."

"I think she's here," I whispered as the door opened. Three people, a girl and two guys, walked into the room. Bella had dressed quickly before we left the bedroom, but I was still just wearing jeans. The shirt I wore yesterday and Bella's clothes lay on the floor near the rocking chair. When I glanced at Bella, surprisingly, she wasn't blushing.

The girl's eyes flashed from the heap of clothes to me, then to Bella. She turned to stare at me, even though she spoke to Bella. "So, I guess you gave up on the hometown honey?" She shook her head, "If you're falling off the wagon, he's a pretty good choice to catch you."

Bella pointed them out to me. "This is Kathy. That's Burt." She paused and nodded to the other guy, who looked sadly from me to Bella. "And Travis." She beamed at me before she turned back to them and said, "This is Jacob."

Kathy's jaw dropped as she dropped her stare to glance, ever so briefly, at Bella. "You didn't mention the six pack when talked about him. Or those shoulders." Bella lowered her head to hide her blush, but she peeped up at me through her lashes.

The first guy didn't speak, but the second one stepped forward and held out his hand. He smiled and said, "Glad to meet you. Bella's told us a lot about you." He nodded to Bella, his expression so different than it had been when she first introduced him. He seemed genuinely glad to meet me, while Kathy stared at me in way that made me feel naked, only less comfortable than I usually feel when I'm naked. Burt just stared.

I stood to carry my bowl to the sink. Burt looked up at me and finally spoke. "You didn't tell us he was a giant, either." He frowned. "Did they hold you back to play football or something? You don't _look_ like you're in high school."

Bella snickered, trying to hide her amusement. Then it hit me. They expected me to be some kid, not a werewolf who looked like he pumped steroids. I shrugged. "I'm not that big. I'm about average where I come from." I grinned at Bella, whose lips were pursed to hold the laughter in. She was enjoying this. Had they been teasing her for dating someone in high school?

"Ignore these two. They weren't socialized as children. Raised by wolves. That sort of thing," Travis said. Bella scrunched up her face at his words. It was hard to keep from laughing. Burt was still watching me, but Kathy gave Travis the evil eye. "And don't let Kathy get to you. She ogles everyone." Kathy chose that moment to slap him across the stomach.

"And just in case these two completely forget how to be polite," Travis continued, "there's a party tomorrow night. You're invited if you're hanging around for the weekend. We've been trying to get Bella to come to a party since she got here. Maybe you can accomplish what we can't. "

"Thanks." I didn't think Bella had any objections to me staying around for the weekend, but I wasn't sure she would want to go to the party.

Burt finally spoke again. "It's a costume party. Of course, you don't have to wear a costume. But where's the fun in that?"

Of course it was a costume party. It was Halloween weekend. If Bella wanted to go, I'd need to come up with something.

"He could go as an underwear model. Everybody has underwear." That was Kathy. Bella was still struggling not to laugh. After all, I wasn't much worried about underwear these days. At least I wasn't ripping out my clothes right and left anymore, but I was still growing. I'd hit six feet and seven inches this month. I could cut off my jeans, but folks might start wondering about me wearing shorts all winter.

"I think I'll pass on that idea." I glanced at Bella. "I should probably get a shirt form the car."

"Just bring your bag in," Bella suggested. There was an edge to her voice, almost as if she thought I might not come back inside.

I stepped closer to her chair and dropped low enough to kiss her on the forehead. "I'll be right back. Maybe you should check with Kathy about me staying here. I can go somewhere else," I whispered. That was one of the dangers of a surprise arrival.

Apparently Kathy heard. "Stay. The weekend starts tomorrow. I won't be here that much anyway." She gave Bella a meaningful look, and Bella mouthed, 'Thank you,' back to her.

It sounded like she was making a point of clearing out to give us some privacy while I was here. Maybe Bella was right, and she wasn't such a bad roommate after all. Now if she'd just put her eyes back in her head. I didn't mind being ogled – as long as it was Bella doing the ogling. I squeezed her hand and reminded her, "I'll be right back."

I could hear them talking, teasing Bella about me on my way to the car.

"Hometown is pretty fine," Kathy assured Bella. "You were holding out info. Important info, like 'Hometown is hot' kind of info."

"His name is Jacob, not 'Hometown' – but he is more than pretty fine; definitely hot." I could hear a bit of a chuckle as she said I was hot. I knew exactly what her laughter hid. Hot would be about a hundred-and-nine degrees, actually.

Kathy was talking again. "So tell me, how does the bottom half compare with the top half? Dish, girl. He can't hear you."

"I'm perfectly satisfied with both halves," Bella stated in a no-nonsense tone.

"What's Hometown doing while you're in class? Burt and I are skipping today and Travis doesn't have Thursday classes. He can hang with us."

I coughed lightly as I came through the door. "Hometown was planning on hanging out with Bella, even if that means classes." I smiled at Burt "I can carry her books." I dropped my duffle in Bella's room and threw on a shirt on my way back out. "When do classes start?"

"In about fifteen minutes. We'd better go." Bella jumped up to wash out her bowl.

"Just leave it," Travis said. "We're making coffee before we hit the beach. I'll wash it when I wash the coffee cups."

"Nice to meet you," I murmured as I grabbed Bella's book bag. She wasn't carrying a purse. With my free hand I held hers.

"We have to walk fast. It's a bit of a hike."

"I can make this faster, if you don't mind."

She frowned, her brows knit together in confusion. "How?"

"Where are we going?

"That building there," she pointed as she spoke.

I clarified, "That door?" When she nodded, I threw her over my shoulder in a fireman carry. She screamed, surprised, but then realized I could run with her to the classroom. I dropped her to her feet just out side the classroom door. She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the room, finding two seats together. We sat just as the bells rang. I'd never been to school with Bella before. This could be fun.


	16. Chapter 16

Part 16

By Tekhne

The party was interesting, to say the least. Kathy waved from across the room. It was the first time I'd seen her since I met her yesterday morning. True to her word, she'd been scarce, giving me some private time with Bella. She grabbed Burt's arm, causing him to spill a drink, and dragged him over to speak to us. She wore a red vinyl bodysuit and a pair of horns attached to a headband. Burt had a sheet draped over him and wings and a halo made out of Christmas tinsel.

"Decided not to go the costume route?" she asked.

"We have costumes," I grinned. "Bella's a generic product." She'd come up with the idea because it was cheap. She wore a pair of white shorts, one of my white tee-shirts, and had cut out a bar-code and taped it where a name-tag would go. Kathy and Burt stared. "And I'm an Indian." I'd really gone for the cheap costume. It was either that or a werewolf in human form. Bella had stared at me like I was a maniac when I suggested telling people that.

"But you aren't dressed like an Indian," Burt slurred his words.

Bella covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter. Even Kathy laughed. "I don't date him for his brains."

"Whatareya laughing at?" Burt asked, looking from one to the other. "He's not wearing feathers or leather or moccasins." He pointed to my feet. "He's wearing Birks! He's not dressed as an Indian."

"Jake _is_ an Indian, Burt. He's Quileute," Bella said, shaking her head in disdain.

"Qu – what?"

The fact that Burt had been drinking didn't help his comprehension. "Quileute. It's a small tribe from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. Since I am an Indian, whatever I wear, I'm dressed like one."

Burt finally got it. "Oo-oh." He nodded blankly, his mouth open. At least, I think he got it.

"You two went all-out on the costumes," Kathy smirked. "Still say you should've come as an underwear model, Hometown. I was hoping you'd be a briefs man."

Somehow, I think them calling me 'Hometown' irritated Bella more than it bothered me. I'd have to ask her about it. It made me wonder if they teased her about me a lot. I decided to end the boxers or briefs speculation. "You're assuming I _wear _one or the other. You left out the commando option."

Bella frowned and raised one eyebrow. "Commando?" she repeated, obviously confused.

"As in bare essentials. _Bare_ essentials." Kathy laughed. "You know, _no_ underwear."

"Oh!" Bella's hand covered her mouth in surprise. She glanced at me and blushed.

"And she's the older one," Kathy rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm off to socialize. Have fun, you two. And don't let them hand you anything to drink that you didn't open." She waved and led Burt away, looking back at us to shake her head at his staggering walk.

Burt was still annoying, but Kathy was growing on me.

"Whoa, Bella! You finally came to a party. Are you supposed to be a nurse?" This was a guy I hadn't met. I didn't like the appraising way he looked at Bella. Not one bit. She didn't seem thrilled with it, either.

Her words were friendly enough, but they didn't sound like there was much feeling behind them. "Hi, Patrick. Interesting costume."

He was wearing He was wearing a loincloth made of some obviously fake furry material. Seriously. It was all I could do to keep from laughing. He seemed proud of himself, though. "Tarzan," he grinned and beat his chest. "Uuuuuuh-_uh_-uh-_uh_-uh-uuuuuuuh."

Bella covered her ears and frowned. I really wasn't sure what to say, so I stuck out my hand. "Jacob Black."

"Patrick McElroy. So you're the hometown honey, eh?" He turned to Bella, "Heard about him from Burt. Guess you like 'em big."

"I like Jacob," Bella said, using a formal voice.

Before either of them could say anything else, a hand came between them. "Hi, Bella, Jake. Glad you could make it." It was Travis. He held up two cokes. "Want something to drink?" Patrick beat his chest and bellowed again before leaving.

I took both cans, opening one for Bella, who stared, stunned, at Travis. Her expression flickered between laughter and deer-in-the-headlights. Travis was dressed as Dracula, complete with formalwear and a cape. Pale make-up made his face almost white except for the dark hollows around his eyes. A pair of fangs completed his costume. Enough like the real thing to remind her of him. Enough of the myth to make her laugh. At least he didn't smell like a funeral home.

Bella found her voice. "Nice costume."

He laughed. "The tux is mine from choir. The cape my mother made. Dad used it last year for a party. The makeup is hers, too. I did have to buy the fangs." He licked on of them with his tongue. "It took a while for me to get rid of the lisp they caused."

"Sharp look," I acknowledge, unsure of what to say. After all, he had no idea he was dressed, sort of, as my mortal enemy.

"I heard about your costumes. Burt is still trying to figure yours out. Please ignore his lack of awareness. The rest of us do."

He might be dressed like a vampire, but of all the people I'd met, he seemed the nicest. So far, he was the only one who hadn't called me 'Hometown' or teased Bella about me. He seemed both protective of Bella, but not actually interested in her the way the other guys appeared to be.

"They're showing movies in the basement. Come on Lissa is down there."

"I thought there might be some interest there," Bella grinned.

Travis sighed, "That's still to be determined, but I'm working on it. Let me grab a couple more cokes and I'll show you to the basement."

That gave me a minute to check on Bella. "You OK?"

"Is Halloween always going to be like this?" she smiled weakly.

"At least we haven't run into a werewolf costume yet." That brought out some laughter.

Travis returned and led us down a small hallway to a set of fairly dark stairs. Flashlights had been set up with red, orange and yellow tissue paper to look like torches, alternating to give some light. I stepped in front of Bella, worried that she might trip, but knowing I could catch her – or at least block her fall. When we reached the bottom of the stairs, a group greeted us. Travis handed a girl in a fairy costume one of the canned drinks and slipped into a chair beside her. I sat on the floor and leaned against the corner of a couch. Bella leaned against me.

The girl dressed as Tinkerbell introduced herself. "I'm Lissa. You two made it just in time for the next movie."

"What are we watching?" I was hoping for something a little scary – just enough to make Bella scream or need an arm securely around her.

"It's an old one," Lissa assured me. "From the eighties. _Teen Wolf_ with Michael J. Fox." Bella choked on her drink and coke nearly came out my nose.

They looked at us like we were crazy. Bella saved the day, "Jacob thought about coming as a werewolf tonight. He decided it might be a little cliché."

Lissa looked across the room. "Wish somebody had convinced Teddy it was cliché. Watch out or he'll hump your leg."

"It's people like him who give werewolves a bad name," Travis shook his head in mock sadness.

As the movie started, Bella leaned in closer and whispered, "We don't have to stay if this is too weird."

"Actually, Bella, I think this is normal. It's being a werewolf that's weird. And it's kind of fun meeting your friends here. At least I can feel like some of them, most of them really, will take care of you while I'm gone. I'll worry less about you now." I wrapped my arms around her. So far, no one in the basement had called me 'Hometown', either. Unless a real vampire showed up, things were about as weird as they could get, so we could settle in and enjoy ourselves. I couldn't resist one little kiss in the darkness. Bella didn't seem to mind at all.


	17. Chapter 17

Part 17

By Tekhne

I had to admit, I enjoyed the party, but mostly because Jacob was with me. I held his hand as we walked across campus, thinking about how incredibly lucky I was that he hadn't given up on me. He stopped walking and turned in the darkness to kiss me. I melted into his warmth with a contented sigh.

"If I grow any taller, I'm going to have to get on my knees to kiss you," Jacob laughed and tugged gently on my braid.

"Or you could just pick me up."

"I could, couldn't I?" As soon as the words escaped his lips, I found myself cradled in his arms as he carried me in the darkness. I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned my head against his shoulder. He ran the rest of the way so smoothly I barely felt a jostle. It didn't even make him breathe hard. He must have noticed my surprise when he set me down to open the door. "That was nothing, Bella. Werewolves are fast and strong, even in human form. That would have been… a lope."

"A lope?"

"Running slow and easy." He grinned. "If I did anything else, people might notice." He lifted me over his shoulder and carried me inside, heading straight back to the bedroom. He laid me on the bed and ran his hands over my legs. Then he pulled off my shoes and kicked his own onto the floor. Carefully, as if I were a china doll, he pulled the shirt over my head. As he kissed my stomach, his tongue warm against my skin, he reached behind me to unfasten my bra. He rolled beside me and stroked my breasts for the longest time. Somehow, the heat from his hands gave me chills.

Since he'd arrived, Jacob had let me take the lead. I'd missed him so much I hadn't held back. But now I could tell he wanted to set the pace, and he wanted it to be slow and tender. He was far more patient than I.

He kissed me, his mouth pressed gently but firmly against mine, his tongue sliding just past my lips. As he backed away to breathe, I caught his lip between my teeth and released it slowly. He shifted, his head dropping lower so he could kiss one of my breasts, his hand still caressing the other. I breathed more heavily as my skin tightened under his touch.

I reached for his shirt, but with his free hand he pulled my arms above my head. "There's no rush," he whispered. "I want to take my time." I lay still, my body electrified everywhere his skin brushed against mine. I wanted him now, wanted to feel his weight pressed against my body as he lay between my legs. But I wanted this too, the sweet ache in the pit of my stomach building slowly.

His lips swept kisses across my chest as he took my other breast in his mouth. I shuddered in response, then gasped and arched my back. He raised his head for a moment to watch my face and smiled as I exhaled. "You like that?"

"Yes," I struggled to speak as his hand trailed down my stomach, just under the waistband of my shorts. He teased me for a while, and then ran his hand over my thigh and under the bottom hem of my shorts. I wanted him, but I wanted this tender torture, too. I could barely move by the time he reached for the zipper and placed his hand inside my shorts then skimmed his fingers over the soft cotton of my panties.

He chuckled as I struggled to breathe regularly. "I can make this last for as long as you want me to," he whispered.

"But you – " I interrupted myself with a quiet moan.

"I'm enjoying this more than you can imagine."

He was hard and ready; I could feel him pressed against my side. Yet still he waited patiently, pushing my shorts and panties lower. I managed, with some will, to kick them the rest of the way off so that I lay naked before him. His lips returned to my breasts, but his hand reached lower, his nimble fingers stroking my wetness. He pinched my nub between his finger and thumb, rubbing soft and slow. It sent a jolt through my body as I arched up from the bed again. As my hips fell against the mattress, he slipped a finger inside me, and my muscles clamped around it tightly.

I bucked against his hand, my breath ragged, struggling. His tongue scorched against my nipple where my skin was so tight I felt it might burst. I moaned as the pleasure washed over me in shivers that sent chills to my skin as much as it burned inside. "Please," I begged.

Suddenly, he was face to face with me, his lips locked with mine. The kiss was slow as his tongue moved in the same rhythm as his fingers inside me. When he broke for air, he whispered, "We have plenty of time," and kissed me again.

How long could he make me wait?

He shifted again, moving agilely between my thighs, even as he kissed me. His hands never missed a beat. I wrapped my legs around him and realized that he was still dressed. This time, he used one hand to help me pull his shirt over his head, raising his other hand only long enough to shake the shirt over his wrist. I tried to reach for his jeans, but he pushed my hands over my head. Balanced above me, he shook his head. He left a trail of kisses from my lips, over my chest, across my belly and then lifted my legs over his shoulders. His hands ran up my sides as he kissed the insides of my thighs. Then his tongue, warm and gentle found my nub and circled it.

I screamed as my body caught fire, every nerve burning in a blissful agony. As I squirmed, he thrust his tongue inside me. His hands slipped behind my shoulders and he cradled me, rocking me toward him in a steady rhythm. "Now. Please, now." But he refused me, his tongue flickering against my soft flesh, its surface rougher than his tender skin. I pitched against him, my movements instinctive, involuntary. My voice, too, was beyond my control as I moaned louder and gasped for air.

My desire rose to a fever pitch even as my muscles shook uncontrollably. Only then, when every ounce of volition had escaped my body, did he raise his head. He smiled as he reached for the zipper on his jeans. I tried to raise my hand to help him, but it fell listlessly back on the bed. He chuckled, lifting my hand to him. I felt his coarse hair against my skin, his warm flesh hard in my hand as he pushed his jeans over his hips and shimmied out of them.

He moved my hand over his hip and placed his hands on either side of me, supporting his weight as he held himself above me. Finally, he thrust inside, and in my yearning, my body found some new reserve of strength as I wrapped my legs around him. He drove deeper, it seemed, with each lunge and I found my voice. "Please – "

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, holding himself back and away, as a look of concern crossed his face.

I grinned and gasped for air. "Please, don't stop again." He lowered himself close enough to kiss me and filled me again, his body pulsing against mine. "Please," I begged, and the force that pressed our bodies together grew stronger. My body quivered against his, and again, I was unable to speak. Barely able to breath. I lost all control, my legs gripping him in spasms as my thighs tightened with pleasure, every move he made causing an electrical surge through my nerves, melting everything inside me with his heat. I screamed, unable to hold back, and he joined me, throwing his head back as he shuddered and groaned, his body trembling as much as mine, although he was still in total control.

Spent, he rolled to my side and his lips found mine even as his hand roved once more over my breasts. My chest heaved as I gasped for air. He pulled back and watched me, not even breathing hard. "Slow and easy doesn't seem so bad, now, does it?"

"That may have been slow," I sighed, still taking in huge gulps of air, "but it wasn't easy. I may never be able to move again."

"You won't have to," he whispered into my ear. "I'll take care of you. I'll always take care of you." The last thing I remember was his warm arms around me as I fell asleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Part 18

By Tekhne

The morning light was peeping between the blind and the window when I woke up. Jacob, already awake, kissed me as soon as I opened my eyes. I inhaled slowly, but lay still.

"You OK?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm still tingling from last night. I'm not sure I can move yet."

He grinned and brushed his hand over my stomach. "So you decided you like taking it slow and easy?"

My cheeks burned. "I thought that was pretty obvious."

"Well, you did keep saying, 'now'."

I knew I was blushing even more furiously. "I guess I just didn't believe it could feel any better."

He beamed at my words. He caught my chin in his huge hand and lifted my face to look him in the eye. "You don't have to be embarrassed because you liked it, you know. You were _supposed_ to like it."

"How did you – Where did you – " I struggled to find the right words.

It was his turn to blush. "I… uh… well, you hear things." I started to ask 'what kind of things', but he kept going. "Things like it's better for women if you go slow. And we're always rushing in case Charlie catches us. Or Dad. Or… anybody."

I nodded waiting for him to go on. "I thought I'd find out exactly what to do to slow things down. I started at a bookstore. I figured they had something like _The Joy of Sex_." He grinned. "They did. Apparently it's been updated and now uses photographs. And there are tons of others. But people kept looking at me like I was wearing a raincoat with nothing underneath." I had to laugh, given that most of the time he wore less than that. I think he realized what I was thinking, because he rolled his eyes. "Then I tried the Internet. That's where I found the really interesting information." He raised his eyebrows as he spoke. "Of course, I had to take that with a grain of salt."

"That was some mighty thorough research."

He shrugged. "I'm starting college classes next semester. I need to practice my research skills."

"So should I check out the Internet?"

"Bella, honey, you're doing just fine on your own." He kissed my forehead and wrapped me in his arms. I rested there, enjoying the opportunity.

As always, he felt deliciously warm. Heat radiated from him, enveloping me in the comfort and security I had come to rely on long before I'd begun to love him. "Jake, when you changed that first time, when you talked to me the next day, you said everything hurt. I remember the pain in your voice. Does it still hurt when you change, or does the pain go away?"

His brows furrowed together and he looked troubled. I felt sorry for making him remember that night. "It never hurt physically, Bella." He smiled, and swallowed, as if the words were hard to voice. "It was terrifying, but not because of any pain. One minute I was standing there like normal, the next my head was almost touching the ceiling and the room felt like it was closing in on me. I could barely fit through the door when Dad let me outside. I didn't know what was happening, not even after I saw parts of myself that weren't me. And I was so angry. It was like everything I'd ever been angry about had exploded somewhere inside me."

He paused, wondering, I think, if he should go on. "What hurt was the emotional shock. Understanding that everything I'd laughed at was true. Realizing that you'd loved a monster, but you couldn't love me. Knowing that I was a monster. And that Sam told me I couldn't be around you, even though I wasn't sure if you'd ever want to be around me again."

"Jacob, I loved you then, too. It wasn't the way I love you now, but it was still love. And I needed you like a drug."

"I know that now," he whispered, holding me more tightly. "But then all I could think was that _they_ were your monsters, the ones you loved, and I was their mortal enemy. I wasn't sure you could overlook that. I wasn't even sure I'd ever get to be around you again. That hurt more than anything." He cupped my face in his hand as he spoke. "If you hadn't been so stubborn…" He looked away.

For the first time, I realized that I really could have lost him. If I hadn't kept trying to talk to him, to see him, he might never have come to me that night. I didn't want to think about what my life would be like without him. If I were alive at all without him and the rest of the pack protecting me.

"It's better now. It's been better ever since you knew. I haven't felt so much like a monster since you told me that it didn't make a difference to you that I was a werewolf; that I was still me, no matter what." He smiled. "You have no idea how much that helped me. And when I found out those leeches wanted you, wanted to hurt you, I was happy because I could protect you. Because of you, I could accept who… what… I was. What I am. Even if what I am is a monster."

"You aren't a monster, Jacob."

He nodded. "I am a monster. I'm just one of the good guys."

"If you were a monster, I couldn't love you." It was the wrong thing to say, and I knew it as soon as the words were out of my mouth. I had loved Edward, and as far as Jacob was concerned, he was a monster, even more so because he hurt me. I knew that no matter how much he hurt me, Edward wasn't a monster. Jacob would never accept that. I smiled, knowing I'd thought his name without struggling to breathe.

"I have a question, too," Jacob said tentatively. His face was expressionless, a mask. "What would you do if he came back?"

His questions surprised me. I hadn't thought about Edward coming back in so long. I wasn't totally sure how I would react. Not that it mattered, anyway. He wasn't coming back. "He isn't coming back, Jacob. There's no reason for him to come back."

"Supposed he changed his mind."

I laughed at the thought of stubborn Edward changing his mind. "Then I'd wonder how long it would take for him to change his mind again." I paused, watching him. "And I'd need you more than ever, because it would still hurt and you are the only person who can hold me together. I still wonder, sometimes, why you want me, why you ever wanted someone as broken as I was."

"You know that I fell hard and fast for you that night on the beach, don't you? The night I told you the Quileute stories. I love you, Bella. I have from the beginning."

He kissed me and started to say something else, but the phone rang. He reached behind him to pick it up and handed it to me. I was surprised when I heard the voice on the line.


	19. Chapter 19

Part 19

By Tekhne

I was surprised to hear Sam's voice. "Bella, is Jacob there with you? I need to speak to him." He wouldn't have called unless it was important. His curtness let me know it was all business. Unfortunately, I had an idea of what that business might mean.

"It's for you," I whispered as I handed Jacob the phone. "Sam." I breathed deeply. Of course Sam knew Jacob was here. I'm sure Jacob cleared leaving La Push for so long with Sam. I followed Jacob's side of the conversation.

"Sam," he stated as he sat up in the bed. "I'm here." His voice sounded suddenly mature and serious. He paused for a moment, listening, then asked, "When?" Any doubts I had disappeared when he said, "On tribal land?" It was obviously a vampire, and apparently one that called for more than four werewolves to stop him.

Jacob nodded, his face showing his disappointment but still resolute. "I'll get on the road as soon as possible." He glanced at me apologetically.

I wanted to scream, 'No, he's still mine for another day,' but I couldn't. I knew that if Sam wanted him back in La Push it meant this wasn't a vegetarian vampire. People's lives were in danger. I couldn't be that selfish.

"Bella, I have to go," Jacob said. "We know it's at least two bloodsuckers. There may be a third. They killed four people on the beach last night. We think they came up from the water." He lowered his head and sighed. "I wish I could stay."

"You have to go right now?" I felt guilty for asking.

He nodded. "I'm going to take a shower and pack my things, but I'll need to leave right after that."

"Let me at least fix you some breakfast. You need to eat and you'll just have to stop somewhere on the way." And it was a little more time for me to spend with him.

"Thanks," he said. "But make it something quick, please."

I watched him walk to the shower and crawled out of the bed and put on his shirt, the one he'd worn yesterday, not the shirt of his that I'd worn to the party. Like the other, it hung to my knees, so I didn't bother with shorts. I'd just have to struggle to tuck it in, anyway. I didn't worry about shoes, either. I wasn't going anywhere but the kitchen.

I heated up a skillet while I laid out a whole package of bacon on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven. I buttered bread and set it on another cookie sheet, ready to bake. Then I cracked some eggs into the skillet. If nothing else, I could send Jacob on the road with a full stomach. In fact, I could make some sandwiches for him to take with him for later.

Preparing the food was calming, like a ritual. It kept my mind off what I knew he was headed back to. I flipped the eggs and put the bread in the oven to toast before I went back to making the sandwiches. Ham, turkey and cheese should be pretty filling. Jacob had always had an appetite, but he never seemed to get full since he'd changed into a werewolf. I made six sandwiches and bagged them separately before dropping them into a larger bag.

At least two vampires, maybe more, he'd said. What if it were a group as large as the Cullens? Sure, they could take down Laurent and Victoria alone. But what if they were outnumbered? Nervously, I packed the food. In a second bag I put some apples, bananas and a bag of carrots. By then, the bacon, eggs and toast were all done, and I made them into breakfast sandwiches. I was just finishing up when Jacob came into the kitchen carrying his duffle bag.

"If you wait just a minute, I'll get the cooler and put some ice and drinks in it. At least with food and drinks, you won't have to stop as often." I handed him one of the egg sandwiches.

He looked grave for a moment, but nodded. "Thank you. That will take a little time off the road." He began to eat as I fixed the cooler.

"I can make some coffee if you have time." Maybe I just wanted to keep him here longer. Away from the danger for just a little more time.

"Bella, it's going to be fine. We've done this before. The pack can handle it," he stated between mouthfuls of food.

"And what if you can't? What if it's more than two? What if it's a group as large as the Cullens? Can the pack handle that?"

He nodded. "Chances are, it won't be. According to the stories, usually the vampires are in smaller groups. I think that's probably one reason the old pack made the treaty to begin with. The five Cullens who were together back then were a large group. I doubt this will be more than three, at the most. You really don't need to worry."

"I can't help it." I cupped his cheek in my hand. "I can't lose you, Jacob."

"Not a chance," he grinned and stooped to kiss my forehead. "Let me load this stuff in the car."

I watched as he carried the bags away, opening the hatchback to drop his duffle in, but placing the food in the passenger seat up front. He came back inside and kissed me deeply, holding me tight. I didn't want him to let go, and I clung to him as well.

"I'll be fine, Bells. Don't worry about me. I'll be there waiting when you come home for Thanksgiving. Or maybe I can drive down and bring you home."

That made me smile. "Call me when you get home. Or call Charlie and have him call me. At least I'll know you made it back to Forks safely."

"I don't think I'd be hurt very long even if I had a wreck." He laughed. "But I'll call. I promise. And I'll be fine. I promise that, too."

He hefted the cooler, and for a second time, I watched him walk to the car. This time, he drove away. But I still watched as the car crept out of the parking area and down the street until it disappeared it disappeared around the corner. Watching him go felt strangely familiar, even though I knew he was only going home.


	20. Chapter 20

Part 20

By Tekhne

Once he was gone, I sat on the couch, my legs curled up under me, his tee-shirt pulled over them like a tent. It seemed so quiet, so still. I tried to remember that his visit was unexpected, something I certainly hadn't planned, so every second of it had been a gift. I reminded myself that he would have left either tonight or early tomorrow, anyway. But it seemed so empty without him.

I was about to slip into my bedroom and crawl under the sheets that I knew would still smell like him when Kathy, Burt, Patrick, Travis and Lissa burst through the door.

Kathy took one look around and noticed Jacob's absence. "Where's Hometown?"

"He's on his way home." I couldn't hide the sadness in my voice.

"Trouble in paradise?" Patrick seemed happy about that possibility. Was he the one Burt wanted to fix me up with?

I shook my head. "He got a call. They need him at home." One of them was sure to ask why. I couldn't exactly tell them he had to help hunt vampires. "A family emergency," I stammered.

"Hope things are all right." That was Travis. I think he sensed that I didn't want to talk about it and changed the subject. "We were coming by to see if the two of you wanted to come to the beach today. Since it's just you, there's no option. Suit up. You're coming with us."

The idea didn't thrill me, but it was well-intentioned. I decided it might at least help me take my mind of Jacob and the danger he faced back at home. I dressed quickly and grabbed a towel. I decided to take a sheet to sit on the sand, too. I heard Kathy call out, "Don't worry about anything. I have a bag with sunscreen and everything else like that we might need. Drinks and lunch are in a cooler in the car, too. Get a move on, girl! We're burning daylight!"

We climbed into Burt's SUV. I sat, still and quiet, unable to push Jacob from my mind. The pack had only killed lone vampires. They knew there were at least two this time. What if fighting vampires wasn't as easy as they all thought? They were only teenaged boys, even if they were werewolves. What if it had just been the advantage in numbers?

I tried to smile when we arrived at the beach, but it felt forced. I was good at it, though. I'd had months of practice before Jacob had managed to put me back together. And this wasn't as bad. It wasn't. Jacob loved me. He was gone, but he wasn't leaving me. At least, he wasn't planning on it. But if these new vampires won, he might be gone from my life just as surely as if he'd left of his own free will. Who would put me back together if that happened?

"Is it that bad?" Travis asked gently, although he never took his eyes off Lissa, who, along with the others, had joined a volleyball game.

"Am I that obvious?"

He glanced at me and shrugged, then returned to watching Lissa again. "You seem a lot quieter than usual. Not that you're ever loud, exactly."

I decided to shift the conversation. "How come you aren't playing volleyball? Showing off some moves or something to catch her attention?"

"Obviously, you've never seen me play volleyball. Trust me; I am much more impressive sitting on the sidelines." He laughed. "Besides, I'd rather watch her play."

"Watch out. If you stare any harder, it's going to be ogling. Girls don't like that."

He sighed. "That seems to be as far as I'm going to get. I seem stuck in the best friend mode. Not even best friend, really, since that would be Kathy."

"Jacob was my best friend for a long time, Travis," I said gently. "He was very, very patient with me. I finally came around."

"You mentioned that before." He picked up a fistful of sand and let it trickle through his fingers. "You really think I have a chance with her?"

"If she's smart." I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile. "Don't give up on her. I'm really glad that Jacob didn't give up on me. For the longest time, I told him over and over that we couldn't be more than friends. And he was my friend. Then one day I realized how much I needed him, and not just as a friend." I shut my eyes, remembering. I was afraid of losing him then, too.

Travis took in every word I said, and then asked, "What did it take? To make you realize?"

It wasn't as if I could tell him the truth. I wondered what Travis would have thought if I'd simply said, 'I was afraid a vampire had killed him while he was trying to protect me from her.' Instead, I tried to put it in terms that would fit a normal person's life. "It took a walk on the beach."


	21. Chapter 21

Part 21

By Tekhne

Interstate five stretched out before me. I'd made it halfway in just over eight hours. Bella had been right; the food she packed _would_ make the drive shorter. So far, I'd only stopped for gas, grabbing extra drinks and food then. The drive home wouldn't take nearly as long as the drive down. I'd remember that the next time I visited Bella.

To be honest, I'd worried about her. I was glad to see she'd made some friends. Kathy might call me Hometown, but she seemed to really like Bella. Travis seemed nice enough, too, and I'd been even more enthusiastic about him when I learned that he had a crush on Lissa. Kathy seemed to have Burt under control. Patrick seemed like bad news, but Bella clearly had a handle on that already. She'd avoided him like the plague at the party.

While Bella and Lissa disappeared to find the bathroom at the party, Travis had filled me in on how Kathy, Burt and Patrick had teased Bella about having a hometown boyfriend, especially one who was still in high school. He pointed out that while Kathy called me Hometown to my face, she'd called me 'eye-candy too hot for high school' the rest of the time. I hoped Bella wasn't in for a different type of teasing now that I was gone.

I'd felt comfortable enough telling Travis that Bella had been through a rough time, and I worried about her. Of course, I couldn't tell him everything, but I gave him the basic idea and then asked him to keep an eye out for her. I even gave him my number and email so he could let me know if there was an emergency. With Bella, you never knew, even though she seemed to make it through the weekend unscathed. It made me feel better, knowing someone was watching over her, especially since I'd had to bail unexpectedly.

She was so vulnerable. I recognized that look in her eyes when I walked out the door. It wasn't the same, but it stirred up the old feelings from when the bloodsucker left her. It made me hate leaving her even more, but I had no choice. New leeches in La Push meant I had a duty. At least Bella was safe in California. We hadn't had these kinds of killings since I could remember. Why was the Olympic Peninsula bloodsucker central all of a sudden?

Sam had sounded worried because he was unsure of the numbers. At least two, maybe more. Could this group be as large as the Cullens? That would mean the stories were wrong. If they were wrong about one thing, the legends could be wrong about others. Maybe that was on Sam's mind.

Four people dead. Jared had found them that morning on a routine patrol. The bodies had been broken, mangled. Unless the leeches had done it after the people were dead, they enjoyed causing pain. Well, I would _enjoy _killing them. The sooner, the better. At the rate I was going, I might get home before sunrise. I could phase, check in with whoever was patrolling, and then get some sleep.


	22. Chapter 22

Part 22

By Tekhne

Our patrols had found nothing except a couple of blood-spattered corpses on a hiking trail near the Hoh River. We were certain now, though: there were three of them. Jared had been right about that third scent on the beach, nearly washed away by the waves. We would find them soon enough and take them down. I only hoped it would be before there were any more killings.

Right now we were split into two groups running the boundary of the Quileute land. So far, we hadn't found evidence of the leeches crossing the line, but we wanted to protect the tribe first. That was our duty, even though we wanted to protect the rest of the area as well.

A cry of anguish cut through my brain, the howling so sharp it hurt. An instant later I recognized the voice of my friend.

_Quil. _

Quil had joined us.

_Go to him. _

Sam knew that Embry and I, as Quil's friends, could handle him. We were off, while Sam, Jared and Paul continued the patrol.

Quil staggered, crushed between the walls of his house, stumbling disoriented in this new world that was so strange to all of us. I wondered if my confusion had hurt the others as much as Quil's did.

_We're coming._

I hoped my voice would comfort him as he recognized it, the way Embry's had for me. But I knew that on some level, the voices he could hear would only add to his uncertainty. How could we be speaking in his head when he couldn't even see us?

When we found him, he was still shaking from the change, terrified. He saw us, and the shock hit first. Panicked, he tried to run away.

_Stop. It's us. _

_We can help._

Embry and I both called out to him. He looked around, searching for us, confused as he peered into the forest hoping to find us beyond the trees. He looked back at us, shaking, and let out a soft cry. When he heard the whimper instead of his voice, he stared into my eyes, tilting his head.

Then the realization struck. _Jacob? Embry?_

_We're here. _My voice seemed to comfort him now as it hadn't before. Having recognized us, he seemed calmer.

_How did this happen?_

I knew that feeling so well. The dread of becoming a monster. Even as a wolf, Quil's eyes were wide with disbelief.

_The old legends. They're true. _Embry had explained this to me the same way, his voice calm and strong. I could see the change in Quil as he listened. He stopped shaking, his body physically relaxing. He watched as we both approached him, taking in our movement.

But instead of doubts, he seemed thrilled. _Huh. Cool. How does this work?_

He looked over his shoulder, taking in his wolf form. Not a single doubt about suddenly becoming a monster. _I'll bet this body runs fast._

_As fast as the cold ones. _Once again Embry assured him.

_The wha—_

_Leeches. That part's true, too. _I finally joined in the explanation. My words made him sit down.

_Do you want to try to change back into human form? The voices can be disorienting. I can help you, if you want. Show you how to do it. _I knew that I had wanted to become human again as soon as possible. I wanted to escape the whole thing, but I had no choice. No more than Quil did.

_Not really. I like this… So, who else wolfed out?_

Sam chuckled. _We won't have to console him too much. He seems to like it._

_Sam? So the others… the gang? _

_That's right. _Sam's voice was reassuring. _We're the protectors. If you're really as comfortable as you sound about that new body, we have a job you can help with. Jared picked up the scent. We have a trail to follow._

Again, Quil was quick on the uptake._ The people on the beach? And the hikers? That was the cold ones?_

_There're three of them. Want to help take them out? _Jared's tone echoed Sam's challenge.

I could hear the excitement in Quil's voice. _Is it really like the legends? We tear them to pieces?_

_We tear them to pieces and set them on fire. That's true. That and a lot more. _Jared seemed to like Quil's attitude.

Paul managed to strike at me. _The hard part is trying to ignore it when Jake thinks about his leech-loving girl-friend._

Quil snorted. _Thinks about her a lot, does he?_

_Not nearly as much as he used to. You're lucky. _

I knew Paul was rolling his eyes.

_Quit gossiping about Jacob's love-life. We have work to do._ Sam brought us back to the issue at hand: three bloodsuckers on the loose.

_Check this out!_ Embry ran into the woods, looking over his shoulder to challenge Quil. Our newest pack member followed close on his heels.

Could Quil really accept this so easily?

_Of course I can! This is cool!_

I shook my head and followed them both into the woods.


	23. Chapter 23

Part 23

By Tekhne

In the day, Embry could see like a hawk. In the night, I guess it was more like an owl. He took point, scanning the forest for any sign of the leeches we were looking for. The rest of us were scent tracking, following the trail the bloodsuckers left. They weren't moving fast. They had no idea we were following them. If we played our cards right, they'd never know what hit them.

_Stop._

It was Embry.

_I can see them._

His voice sounded shaky.

Then the rest of us saw what bothered him. Even for leeches, it was disturbing. There were two females with a child. A _child_. He probably wasn't old enough to go to school yet. That explained the brutal deaths. They had been helping the child drain those people. To feed on them while they were still alive. I felt sorry for the human he had been, but no pity at all for the bloodsucking monster he had become.

_Surround them. That way they can't run._

Sam gave simple commands, assigning two of us to each vampire. I was happy to be teamed with Jared against one of the females. Sam and Paul took the other. Embry and Quil had the child. Easier to kill on one hand, but more difficult to think about.

We moved silently through the woods as we circled them in the still night. Then, as one, we attacked.

It was easy, really. We took them by surprise so they never had a chance. Jared and I ripped the leech's stone flesh to shreds. She screamed and cursed violently, kicking at us, her red eyes flashing in the moonlight. I tore into her calve, crunching through it as Jared took her arm off piece by piece. No longer able to stand with just one leg, she was easy to defeat. I shook her knee between my jaws, pulling the rest of her leg off as Jared did the same to her other arm. Jared finally attacked her neck, biting clear through to take off her head. It was easy enough to slice through what was left.

But the bloodsucker Sam and Paul killed had tried to protect the child. Her eyes were wild as she watched Quil and Embry attack. She paid little attention to Sam and Paul, screaming "My son! My son! Please don't hurt my son!" The pain, the raw emotion in her voice surprised me. It almost sounded human. But what human could condemn a loved one, a child to such a –? I almost said life, but these things weren't alive. They were simply dead in some monstrous way. Had the female changed her own son? Or did she, like the Cullens, merely claim this one as her son after she had changed him?

Like the female, the child bellowed in pain, crying for his mother. My brothers made it quick, much faster than any of these monsters deserved after torturing those poor people on the beach. It was a good kill and safe for Quil, so soon after his first change.

He watched the purple smoke curl into the sky as the bodies burned. _Is it always like that? _

_Like what, exactly?_ Sam wanted to clarify. I could tell he was second guessing setting Quil on the child. I could have taken him alone, leaving Quil to fight the female with Jared and Embry. I hated them enough to know that despite appearances, the child was just a smaller monster.

Quil rolled his eyes at me. _That isn't what I meant. Is it always so fast?_

_There have only been two others. They were both quick._ Something haunted Sam's voice. _But we can't assume every leech will be that easy._

I knew he was thinking about the Cullens and their special powers. Would we ever run into a bloodsucker like that?

Nodding, Quil appeared to understand Sam's unspoken caution.

In the flicker of the fire, I glanced at my pack brothers. I knew Quil was glad to join, relieved to have his friends back. I hated what it meant for him. For all of us. Now we were six.


	24. Chapter 24

Part 24

By Tekhne

I sat on the driftwood log staring out at the ocean as Sam talked. "She liked your plan?"

Grinning, I nodded. "It's a good plan," I added, with a shrug.

Sam laughed, agreeing. "I like the college plan. It opens pathways for all of us. It was a great idea. Just because we can't leave it doesn't mean we're stuck, you know?"

"It gives us options, you mean?" I remembered that Sam had given up a scholarship. He wanted off the reservation as much as anybody I'd ever known. Becoming a werewolf had ended that hope. The tribe needed us, and we couldn't just walk away. The whole Olympic Peninsula needed us, it seemed like, with all the vampires that were showing up lately.

"Exactly," Sam said. His brow furrowed and he looked far over the horizon. "Does she really know what that means, Jacob?"

Puzzled, I waited for him to go on.

"You need to make sure she understands. She has to know that you are bound to this place, this land, and if she is bound to you, then this will always be her home. Can she always be happy here?" He lowered his head and took a deep breath. "Living on the reservation, it isn't that easy. It's not romantic. It doesn't have a lot of amenities. She's lived other places; not all of them as isolated as we are here. What if she wants to return to that some day, like her mother did? If she's going to make this her life, she really needs to know that some ties can't be broken, and that means a certain way of life."

I frowned. "I think she knows. It's not like she's never been here." But I thought of Bella in Phoenix. In Los Angeles. In Jacksonville, where her mother lived now. And I thought of La Push and my tiny house. My family of five had lived there until my mother died. Even then, we had been four until my sisters moved away. I could stretch out my arms and touch the walls of my bedroom. Of almost any room in the house, for that matter. But it was home. I'd never known anything else, but Bella had. By comparison, Charlie's house was spacious, especially when you considered only two people lived there.

"She needs to know that a commitment to you is a commitment to this place. And to think about what that will mean for your children and grandchildren." He looked me in the eye.

First I winced. Then I shut my eyes. He wasn't just talking about living on the reservation. He meant the pack. None of us wanted this life for ourselves. We certainly didn't want it for anyone else. I'd never thought about what it might mean for my children. I hadn't really thought about kids. At least not in such specific terms. Had Bella?

I remembered how close I had come to hurting Dad the night I first changed. How Sam had hurt Emily. What if our children changed? What kind of danger would that place Bella in? She had no idea what that was like. Would it scare her? Would it change her mind? I didn't really want to think about that possibility.

"How did you tell Emily?" I asked. But I knew it wouldn't be the same.

Sam took a deep breath and pursed his lips. Then he nodded. "Emily grew up on the Makah rez. She knows about reservation life." His face turned grim. "The werewolf thing, that didn't go so well. She almost didn't survive it."

I thought of Emily's scars. Then I realized the hardest part was over. Bella knew I was a werewolf. She'd seen my monster and loved me anyway. She'd been here in La Push day after day. It wouldn't matter. Not to her. It couldn't.


	25. Chapter 25

Part 25

By Tekhne

Jacob wanted to pick me up at the airport, but Charlie insisted. I hadn't seen either of them since Christmas break, and I missed them both. When we pulled into the driveway, Charlie chuckled as he peered through the rain. I followed his glance to see Jacob, sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him, leaning against the wall of the house. Even under the porch roof, the occasional gust of wind blew the cold rain in on him, but of course, it didn't faze him. He ran out to the car and grabbed me as soon as I opened the door, twirling me about in the rain before he carried me to the porch.

"You know where the key is, Jacob. You could have waited inside," Charlie grinned, teasing him.

"That's true. But then I would have had to wait longer to see Bella."

He set me carefully on the floor just inside the door and kissed me before he asked Charlie for the keys to the cruiser so he could bring in my duffle bag from the trunk. I'd packed light, leaving most of my things in storage for the summer, so there wasn't much to carry. He placed the bag on the floor and kissed me again until Charlie coughed loudly. He pulled back and took my hand in his.

"I ordered pizza. I hope you don't mind." He grinned sheepishly at Charlie. "It should be here soon. I figured everyone would be hungry and I didn't want Bella to feel like she had to cook."

"Good idea, Jake. I'll get out the plates and something to drink while the two of you catch up." Charlie disappeared into the kitchen after that.

Jacob ran his fingers through my wet hair. "You're drenched. I should have remembered to bring an umbrella."

"You're all wet, too."

"But I'm not cold, and you are," he whispered. "You should take a hot shower and put something dry on."

I nodded and reached for my bag, but he beat me to it. "I'll carry it. You pick out something dry and shower." He followed me upstairs and dropped my bag on the bed.

"You know, I probably have some of your cut-off sweats here. You could put on something dry, too." I pointed to a drawer.

"You shower. I'll change and be downstairs when you finish." He winked. "I can even toss my clothes in the dryer."

When I arrived downstairs, Jacob was wearing cut-off sweats and one of his own tee-shirts. I sat beside him on the couch, and he began to untangle my hair and braid it while Charlie eyed us watchfully. He seemed about to say something when the doorbell rang. It was the pizza—the smell filled the house making me suddenly ravenous as he carried it through the room. I was torn between the pizza and leaning back against Jacob's warm body.

"Pizza's in the kitchen when you want it," Charlie called out. I interpreted his tone to mean 'stop touching each other and get up off the couch.' We complied, joining him in the kitchen.

Even at the table it felt as if some tenuous string connected me to Jacob. Charlie watched us in a way that made me feel awkward and uneasy. He noticed as we raised our glasses simultaneously to drink, dipped our crust into marinara sauce at the same time, even reached for the same piece of pizza, our fingers brushing together before we jerked them apart. He frowned as he watched us. I knew he liked Jacob, so I wondered what he was thinking to put that expression on his face.

Jacob must have been wondering, too, as he glanced from me, to Charlie and back again as we ate in what had become an uncomfortable silence.

Surprisingly, it was Charlie who spoke first. "So, Jake, how's the garage working out? Was it worth quitting school?"

"Business is good. I can charge a decent price and still give old Dowling a run for his money, and I'm closer than Port Angeles. We're paying an extra hundred dollars or more on the loan than we have to each month, so it should be paid off before the five years are up. Dad's pretty good at managing money, and even with the debt, there's more to manage now. He says that makes it easier." He sounded so serious. So mature. And then he grinned. "And I didn't quit school, Charlie. I took an equivalency exam. I've finished a semester of college classes online. I'm taking another class during intercession and three classes this summer." His eyes met mine, and he winked. "I'll be a college sophomore in the fall, along with Bella."

Charlie scowled. "Are you planning on going to California, too?"

Apparently, Jacob was feeling the same tension from Charlie that I was, and he struggled not to laugh in his relief and understanding of the situation. "Charlie, I just started a business and I'm paying off the loans. I can't just up and leave. That would be irresponsible. I'll be taking Internet classes. It's not the same as tinkering with cars, but Information Technology is probably a good investment. It gives me—options, as Sam would say. He's taking classes, too."

Still wearing a sour expression, Charlie narrowed his eyes and stared at Jacob. "Huh, Billy never mentioned that," was all he said before he began eating again. But the tension, at least most of it, was gone.


	26. Chapter 26

Part 26

By Tekhne

I sat on the floor of the new garage watching Jacob. Part of the loan he'd taken out had bought a second aluminum shed, larger than the one that housed the Rabbit and our motorcycles. This one had had shelves and a counter up against one wall and could still hold three cars, but right now, it only had two. Jacob hovered over the engine of one, his nimble fingers adjusting some part I couldn't identify.

It wasn't the first time I'd watched him work, but this was different. Before, he'd been a boy, as awkward as I was. My best friend. He was still my best friend, but now he was a man. A graceful and beautiful man, at that. My man. My Jacob. He'd given up part of his childhood to the pack and the other part for me, trying to prove himself in ways he really didn't need to.

"Earth to Bella," he laughed, pulling me away from my reverie. "What are you thinking about? You're a million miles away."

"Not really. Just a few yards away, actually. Well, that and a little over a year."

He shot me a puzzled glance.

"I was thinking about you. About when I first brought those bikes to La Push." I grinned, remembering the game we used to play, adding years to our ages. "You know, you're probably older than Charlie now."

"Will you love me anyway, even if I am an old man?" He laughed and sat down beside me. He cupped my face in his hand and I felt the grease smudge across my skin. "Sorry," he whispered.

My hand covered his, pressing it back against my cheek. "I'm not. And I will." I leaned forward to kiss him, and he pulled me closer, his lips warm against mine.

"Is that all they ever do?" Quil laughed, his big voice echoing against the metal walls as he and Embry joined us. He noticed the grease on my face. "Interesting makeup there, Bella."

Jacob smiled, suddenly seeming much more like a seventeen year old in the presence of his friends. Of course, all three of them looked older than me, and it wasn't just their towering height or massive muscles. All three of them wore some darkness in their eyes that that no teenaged boy should know.

Quil held out a paper sack, and Jacob reached for a rag to wipe the grease off his hands. "We knew you'd be working and figured she'd be here. We just wanted to say hello and have a drink." Jacob pulled out four canned soft drinks, one after the other, and handed them off. "Besides," Quil added, "You're a workaholic and you need to be reminded to take breaks." He nodded to me. "Between patrols with the pack, computer classes and this garage, Jacob is all work and no play lately. Maybe you can do something about that." Embry elbowed him.

I felt the heat of my furious blush as I realized what he meant. The pack mind. The thought of what they might have seen. I closed my eyes. It wasn't like Jacob could control his thoughts.

Quil laughed, realizing the reason for my embarrassment. "Relax, Bella. It's not like that. I mean, we do know. He can't hide something like that from the two of us. Embry and I would have known without sharing Jacob's brain. Of course, he's too much of a gentleman to tell us exactly how satisfied he is. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out why. Just be careful. I don't think he's old enough to get married. At least, not legally. And don't worry, he manages to hide the intimate details. Honestly, we haven't seen anything in his head that we haven't seen in person."

Embry chuckled quietly. "Just be glad you changed after he learned to keep some of his thoughts private. It was embarrassing." He rolled his eyes and my cheeks flushed even hotter. "He thought about kissing you _all_ the time. That, and braiding your hair. Well, he still thinks about braiding your hair, which is kind of weird, but that's it. He just stopped thinking about you constantly. Somehow." His tone sounded a bit envious. I wondered who it was that he was thinking about _all_ the time.

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't hurt you two to learn that trick," Jacob teased, confirming my suspicions. I could see, under his burnished skin, a blush that rivaled mine.

"So how's college, Bella?" Embry decided to change the subject.

I shrugged. "It's school. Occasionally I see Jessica Stanley on campus, but not often. She's joined a sorority and sticks with them most of the time." I tried not to show my relief. "My roommate's—interesting, but we get along, and she's actually a pretty good friend. Her boyfriend's annoying, but harmless, and she's introduced me to some other friends who are nice to have around," I said, thinking about Travis and Lissa. Summer had come at a bad time for them—just as Travis was starting to make some headway. "I had a couple of Shakespeare classes that I liked."

Both boys rolled their eyes. "Shakespeare. Julius Caesar nearly killed me. I thought I was going to be bored to death," Quil said, his voice full of drama. "You're lucky, Jake. You missed it."

"At least next year is Macbeth. There's some murder and fighting in it." Embry muttered.

"I still have to take English classes, guys," Jake assured them. "It may be over the Internet, but it's still school."

Embry shrugged. "It's just weird; that's all. We're still the same age, and we still hang out with you in the garage, but it's like you're older."

Jacob snorted. "Yeah. Bella was just telling me that I must be seventy now."

"Actually, I said older than Charlie. And he's just in his forties."

Quil raised his eyebrows and grinned at me. "Guess that's what dating older women will do to you."

I watched the three of them teasing each other. It made me glad that at least some part of his life was without the responsibility that the rest of his choices and circumstances had placed on him. He'd talked to me about that when I was home for Christmas, making sure that I understood he was bound to the reservation as long as they needed him and the rest of pack to protect them. He wanted to make sure that I knew it was a lifetime commitment for him. I'd reassured him that he was a lifetime commitment for me, wherever he might be. I leaned against him, relaxing against his chest and it began to rain, pattering on the metal roof of the garage with a drumming so loud I couldn't hear their words any longer. I didn't care about the rain; I had my own personal sun.


	27. Chapter 27

Part 27

By Tekhne

I knelt behind Jacob on the bed, my hands on his shoulders trying to work out the knots while he typed the latest paper for his poli sci class. I was glad to see him hit save and shut the computer off. My lips found the back of his neck and trailed slowly over to his shoulder.

"That tickles," he said. It made goose bumps on his skin.

"I know something else that tickles," I whispered.

He turned, grinning. "That doesn't tickle."

"What does it do, then?" I let my fingers slide under his shirt and run over his stomach. His muscles tightened under my hand.

"It's better than a tickle." He pulled me around to sit in his lap and kissed me, full on the lips. Heat rushed through my body, racing along every nerve. I was glad that Charlie had taken Billy fishing and that we could count on them being gone several more hours.

Quickly, I pulled his shirt over his head. I marveled at his skin, so perfect and flawless, just as it always would be. I leaned down to kiss his breastbone and followed the line over his stomach. He groaned as I reached the waistband of his sweats, breathing heavily as my fingers untangled the knots in the string. When I straddled him and yanked his sweats over his hips, he laughed and rolled me onto my back. He lifted the hem of my shirt and kissed his way up from my navel until he reached the band of my bra. The warmth of his lips made me want to melt.

"Pinch me," he laughed, his breath hot against my skin.

"Why?" I gasped as his tongue slid under my bra to tease my breast.

He breathed deeply. "I know I'm dreaming. Loving you is too good to be real." He paused. "On second thought, don't pinch me. Let me live in my fantasy world forever."

I shrugged my shirt off and arched my back as I sat. His big hands strummed up my body. He slipped one behind my back and gently unsnapped my bra. I let it fall over my arms, and he tossed it onto the growing heap of clothes on the floor and rolled me onto my back again. This time, he unfastened my jeans and pulled them off, along with my panties, before he made a trail down from my navel. Without a doubt, I would melt now.

His tongue, even warmer than his touch, fluttered against my most tender flesh, and I had to struggle to breathe. I heard him chuckle low before he whispered, "Told you it felt better than a tickle." I wanted him so much that even the light stirring of his breath made me gasp. When his hands crept up my sides to squeeze my nipples I quivered against him.

It felt good to be loved this way. Not just the way he touched me, the way he filled me. To be loved like he was the sun and I was the only planet in his solar system. Medieval love. Renaissance love. When the Earth was still the center of the universe.

I reached for his shoulders, my fingertips brushing lightly over his hands, the crook of his elbow, his muscular biceps. Gripping him, I pulled myself up. His head rose along with my body, his kisses deep and strong as they trailed upward, lingering at my navel and my breasts before he found my lips. I pulled my legs up until I was on my knees, straddling him. He was hard against me, teasing me, gliding through my wetness. I shifted, open and ready, sheathing him as I pressed closer, rocking in a gentle rhythm.

"Impatient, aren't you?" he groaned, the rush of air over my skin bringing still more pleasure. And I was, even while I wanted this very moment to last forever. I covered his chest in kisses as he whispered to me, "I love you, Bella. I love you," between gasps. Somehow, he managed to lift my chin, his mouth crushing mine. I didn't care about breathing. I didn't care about anything but the way it felt as he thrust inside me, as his lips burned against mine. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me more tightly to him.

It built first in my belly, deep inside where he touched me, white-hot desire that burst into full-blown exhilaration. His body pounded against mine causing prickles of energy along every nerve, a pulse that beat as strongly as my heart. I felt the muscles quiver under his skin and knew the electricity thrummed through him, too.

He threw his head back, a tremulous moan escaping his lips. He fell against the bed, still bucking underneath me. His hands played up my thighs, his thumb gliding between my folds to tease me. He pressed hard with his fingertips, each stroke capturing me in tendrils of pleasure until finally, sated, I fell against him. I wanted to stay there forever.


	28. Chapter 28

Part 28

By Tekhne

Charlie didn't know about the motorcycles. Riding them was another guilty pleasure and I was happy to get one last spin in before returning to school for the fall. I couldn't even be sure which would make him more angry, catching us on the bikes or catching us in bed. Although lately, I was starting to give a little more credence to the latter. Even though I knew Charlie liked Jake and considered him family, I noticed that he watched us with more and more concern. I wondered if he suspected something. It made me glad that Jake was a virtually indestructible werewolf.

While my riding skills showed great improvement, I still managed the occasional mishap. But I didn't hear _his_ voice. Not for a long time, at least. And just as I'd once sought it, now I wanted more than anything to escape it. It felt like a betrayal to Jacob.

I glanced back at him, hunched low over the handlebars, grinning at me. I checked the road again as we turned into a curve. I knew the route by now: the familiar twists and turn, the inclines, the areas where water pooled. As I came out of the bend, I turned again to Jacob, laughing.

"Bella, watch out!" he shouted.

It was too late. A recent storm had knocked a branch in my path. There was no time to stop, no time to swerve. I held tightly to the handlebars, but to no avail. The impact jarred me loose, flinging me in an arc and onto the dirt. I landed on my shoulder. For a moment, I didn't feel anything.

Then came the pain that took my breath away. _You're going to kill yourself, Bella. Why are you doing this?_ I struggled for air. The movement made my arm throb. At least it forced his voice out of my mind, exchanging one source of agony for another. Why could I still hear him? What would Jacob think if he knew?

"Bella, hold still," Jacob ordered as he quickly scanned my body. "You're not bleeding. That's a good sign." His frown didn't match his words. "Your shoulder doesn't look good, though." He ran his fingers lightly over my arm. "I think it's dislocated."

I raised my eyebrows. "Can you relocate it?"

"We should go to the hospital."

"No. No hospitals," I snapped.

His brow furrowed and he pursed his lips. "I've seen Sue Clearwater fix a dislocated shoulder. I could do it, I think. But it would hurt. It was back when we were kids. Paul hurt his arm sliding into a base. He screamed like a girl when Sue yanked it back into the socket."

I nodded. "Do it." It would hurt regardless of who fixed it, and I didn't want to go to the hospital.

"Are you sure?"

"Do it," I whispered. "It can't hurt more than it does already."

Gripping my shoulder with one hand and my arm with the other, he forced the bone back into the socket. I gasped, but it stopped the worst of the pain.

"Now you need a hot shower and some ice. And you want to alternate heat and cold for the muscle." Jacob sounded like he knew what he was talking about. "And then you can tease Paul the next time you see him. Not only did you not scream at all, you didn't even cry."

I couldn't help laughing as I imagined Paul's reaction. The rest of the pack would never let him live it down.

He glanced at the motorcycles and then down the road before he picked me up and carried me to the shoulder. Then he wheeled both of the bikes beside me. "Wait here," he said before he disappeared into the woods.

Moments later, he returned and sat beside me. "Embry's coming. I'll let him take one of the bikes and bring the truck back. I didn't want to leave you here alone to go pick up the truck." He held my hand in his and I leaned against him as we waited in companionable silence.

He was so good to me. Somehow, intuitively, he knew what I needed and when I needed it. I'd never told him about hearing Edward's voice. At first, I'd thought he would think I was crazy. I wasn't sure he would understand my logic, cheating on my end of a promise. Now it felt like an entirely different sort of infidelity. More than anything, I was afraid of hurting him.

"You seem a little distracted. Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital. You might have a concussion." Jacob grazed a hand over my head, searching for any bumps.

"I didn't hit my head. Just my shoulder." I struggled with conflicting desires, wanting him to know the truth, yet wanting to protect him.

He watched me, concerned. "What's wrong, Bella?" He knew me too well.

"It hasn't happened in a long time," I began.

"What hasn't happened? You having a motorcycle accident?" he teased.

"Well, that's one thing," I said, momentarily distracted. "But it isn't what I meant." I swallowed, building up my nerve. "I heard his voice." I didn't have to tell Jacob whose voice. He would know exactly who I was talking about.

"He isn't here," Jacob said. I didn't miss the fact that he turned his head slowly in either direction and breathed deeply through his nose. "This land is still on our side of the treaty line. Even if he came back, he wouldn't come here. And if he did, I would know. I could smell him."

I nodded. "I knew he wasn't really here. But I did hear his voice." I paused. "Sometimes, when I do something stupid, something dangerous, I hear him warning me. When it first happened, I thought I was crazy. Then I figured out what was happening and I actually tried to hear it."

He kept his face remarkably expressionless, but I couldn't miss the hurt in his eyes. "Is that why you came to me with the bikes in the beginning?"

"No. When I brought the bikes I still didn't know what caused me to hear him. I just wanted to break my promise to him. To cheat."

Jacob grinned at that statement. "How was that cheating?"

"When he left, he promised me that my life would be like he never existed. It was a stupid promise. He apparently thought I would just forget him. But he made me promise, too." I didn't like remembering.

"What did he make you promise? And what did he do to make you?" His voice bristled with anger.

I shook my head. "It wasn't like that. He didn't physically make me do anything. He just wanted me to promise to take care of myself. To be safe. For Charlie's sake, he said."

Jacob frowned, puzzled. "I wasn't safe?"

"No, silly. The motorcycles weren't safe. It was a way to break my pledge." I held his hand tightly. "The day I brought the bikes to you. That was the first night I didn't have nightmares."

He seemed surprised. "Really?"

"All that time I spent with you, I still didn't know what made me hear his voice. But somehow, you had already begun to fix the broken places," I whispered. "It wasn't until we went riding the first time, when I hurt myself, that I figured out what made me hear him." I hung my head. "There were a lot of reasons I didn't tell you. I was afraid you'd think I was crazy, for starters. Or that you wouldn't take me riding again. Or that you would be so angry. Too angry to be my friend anymore. I was too dependent on you by then."

He didn't say anything; he just kissed my forehead.

"And then, things changed. The way I felt about you. And I didn't hear him as often. It's been a year. I thought he was gone. His voice, I mean. I knew he was gone."

"But you never said anything," he stated without emotion.

I gripped his hand tightly. "I was afraid it would hurt you, and I thought it was gone. I never thought I'd hear that voice again. You can't imagine how shocked I was when it happened. Please don't be angry with me."

He smiled. My sunshine. "I could never be angry with you. Never." He kissed my forehead again and held me as we waited for Embry.


	29. Chapter 29

Part 29

By Tekhne

I sat beside the hospital bed watching Bella sleep. Most of it was over by the time I arrived, and she was out of danger, but somehow, guilt overwhelmed me. It was irrational, but I felt like I'd failed her when she needed me. Luckily, Travis had been there.

In the hallway, Bella's doctor spoke to the police officers. "She might be unconscious for another twenty-four hours. Or she could wake at any time. We'll notify you when that happens."

"We'll wait. It's important we talk to her as soon as possible," one of them replied. His voice was deep, a strong bass.

"We'd like to talk to the boy who brought her in," the other said. I could tell from his accent that he wasn't from the west coast originally, but I couldn't be sure where he'd come from.

The first one added, "And the other boy, too."

"That's fine. I'll send them out to speak to you," the doctor assured them.

"One at a time," the first officer snapped.

I couldn't imagine what they thought I might tell them, but I was willing to do anything to help.

The doctor stepped inside, closing the door. "The officers want to talk to you. Both of you." He nodded at Travis. "You should probably go first."

"Sure," Travis whispered as he followed the doctor into the hallway.

After checking his name and some other perfunctory details, Bass began to explore what had happened to Bella. "So tell me, what's your connection to this young woman? And how is it that you brought her in to the hospital?"

Travis hadn't really told me what happened, just that Bella was here in the emergency room. That was enough for me to drop everything and fly down. One of the nice things about working was the savings I'd started. There was more than enough for a ticket, so I could get here fast.

"There isn't much to tell. We were at a party. Most of the people there had finished their finals and wanted to celebrate the end of the semester. I didn't see her anywhere, and when I asked about her, someone said she must have gone home. I'd promised to walk her back to her suite so she didn't have to cross campus alone, so that didn't make sense." He spoke quickly, nervously. The police probably scared him. I was used to police; Charlie was like family and the other officers in Forks were nice guys. But we didn't have much crime in Forks. They could afford to be friendly.

Travis took a deep breath and continued at a slower pace. "I went looking for her and found her with another guy at the party. She was barely able to walk. I told him I'd take it from there. I knew I couldn't get her across campus in that condition, so I called a cab. When she passed out in the cab, I was worried. She'd gone from perfectly sober to passed out in less than an hour."

"So she was drinking?" Accent asked.

The question made me angry, but I wasn't worried about changing. I'd learned to control my phasing, even when I felt rage like this. Still, I clenched my fists.

"I don't think so," Travis spoke hesitantly. "I've never known her to drink, and I couldn't smell any alcohol."

"Then what happened?" Bass was doing the questioning again.

"We arrived at the hospital and I called her boyfriend," Travis said.

There was silence for a moment before Bass spoke again. "Why wasn't her boyfriend at the party? Are they having problems?"

"He wasn't at the party because he lives in Washington state. He flew down as soon as I called." There was tension in Travis' voice. He was just realizing that the police were suspicious of him.

"Can you give us the names of any other kids at this party?" That was Accent. Of the two, he seemed the most open-minded. Bass apparently thought that Travis had done something to Bella and had second thoughts.

Travis began to list names when Bass interrupted. "Who was the kid you saw with her?"

"His name is Patrick. The party was at his house. Well, the house he shares with a couple of other guys." He rattled off the phone number and the address.

Patrick. I didn't like him. Neither did Bella.

Bass asked one more question. "Do you know if she had sex with anyone tonight?"

I swallowed my fresh anger and listened to the exasperation in Travis' voice. "I told you her boyfriend was in Washington. He got here after she was already in the hospital. Bella isn't the kind of girl to sleep around. She wouldn't cheat on him."

"Did you want to sleep with her? You were taking her home. You'd already promised to walk her there." Maybe Accent wasn't so open-minded after all.

"I wanted her to get home safely," Travis said, his voice steady. "Bella is my friend." His voice faded. "She was actually trying to help me with another girl. One that I'd like to date."

Bass spoke once more. "So that guy in there is the boyfriend?" Travis must have nodded because I didn't hear him speak before Bass said, "Let's talk to him now. See what his story is."

One of them walked into the room with Travis. I guess they didn't trust him to just send me out. They seemed suspicious of both of us. "We're ready for you," the officer said and I matched a face to the voice. Accent. I followed him into the hallway.

"So you're the boyfriend?" Bass said. He was a small man, probably about five-seven, five-eight. He looked up at me, scowling. I nodded. "And you weren't at the party?"

"I was in La Push, Washington. I live there."

Bass raised an eyebrow. "You got here awfully fast."

"I took the first plane I could get."

"Pretty expensive for a kid like you," Bass said, his voice full of doubt.

A kid like me. What did he mean? I knew I looked older, so it wasn't because he thought I was too young. "I can afford it." I couldn't have a year ago. But I could now.

Accent was quiet, but Bass had a lot of questions. "You live on the rez up there in Washington?"

Ah. So that's what he meant. A kid like me. An Indian. I hadn't spent much time in Seattle, but I'd heard the stories about cops there. I'm sure it was even worse in Los Angeles. "I live on _a_ reservation in Washington. There are lots of them there, you know. I'm Quileute."

"So how does a reservation boy afford a flight to L.A. at the drop of a hat?"

"I'm a mechanic. I do good work. And my competition is either overpriced or far away. I can afford a lot of things now that I couldn't afford a year ago." I took a deep breath. On the one hand, these men, at least this one, were offensive. But on the other, they were trying to find out what happened to Bella. I could suck it up and play along. For her.

"Like drugs? Did you do steroids to get those muscles?" Bass asked.

"The muscles are hereditary. Most of my friends have them." I struggled not to laugh. Even steroids couldn't make muscles like mine. He had no idea.

Accent muttered under his breath. It was for Bass only, but he didn't know about werewolf hearing. "That doesn't have anything to do with this."

Bass sighed and nodded. He eyed me and began asking more questions, mostly wondering if Bella and I were having trouble. He kept it up until the doctor returned.

"Hey, doc!" he called out. "I have some more questions. Did they find alcohol in whatever they pumped out of her stomach? Or drugs?"

"Officer," the doctor replied, "I'm sure you know that a public hallway is an inappropriate venue to discuss private information about a patient. And until she regains consciousness, she can't give consent."

Bass couldn't take a hint. "Did you run a rape kit?"

The doctor stared at him. Finally he spoke, "There was no reason for us to assume she had been raped. When she regains consciousness, if she'd like, we can do a rape kit then. That will be her choice."

The thought hadn't really occurred to me, but now it was hard to keep from throwing up. What if someone had raped her? I took a deep breath and swallowed, hoping to keep the contents of my stomach down. "Are you finished? I'd like to get back to her."

Accent spoke before Bass could. "Sure, kid. Go on back in." Bass didn't look happy, but he didn't contradict his partner.

I walked slowly, quietly, into the room, then pulled a chair close to Bella's bed. I took her hand, the one that didn't have the IV, and held it in both of mine. There was nothing I could do but wait.


	30. Chapter 30

Part 30

By Tekhne

Bella shuddered and breathed deeply before she opened her eyes. "Jacob?" Her voice was hoarse and weak. She stared at me for a moment, then blinked and shook her head. Her eyelids fluttered and she glanced around the room. "Travis?" She noticed the IV. "Why am I in the hospital?"

"You passed out, Bella. Something was wrong. I brought you here and called Jacob."

"Am I sick?"

"The doctor hasn't really told us anything, but apparently, they had to pump your stomach," I whispered.

Travis broke in, "I'll get him. He should know that you're awake."

"Bella, honey, can you remember anything?" I probably shouldn't have asked.

She closed her eyes. "There was a party." She opened them, frightened. "Was there an accident?"

Before I could say anything, Travis returned with the doctor.

"Hello, Miss Swan. I'm Dr. Styron. Gentlemen, you need to leave for a few moments while I talk to the young lady," the doctor spoke firmly.

Travis headed out the door immediately. Reluctantly, I stood, but Bella grabbed my hand. "No." Her voice was louder than before, rough.

The doctor glanced from Bella to me, then to our hands. He didn't speak. He just waited.

"He's not leaving," Bella insisted. "I want him here. I can do that, can't I? I'm nineteen."

After one more glance at me, the doctor began to speak. "I'm wondering about the drugs in your system. We had to pump your stomach. You overdosed, but there was no alcohol in your system. Usually when someone ODs on party drugs, there's a mix. And given the particular drug that showed up in your tox screen, I'm wondering whether or not it's something you intended to take."

Bella frowned. "Overdose? I haven't taken any drugs. I was drinking a Coke. How could I OD?"

Dr. Styron nodded. "I thought as much when Rohypnol was the only thing to show up on the screen. You're small enough that what someone considered a regular dose could be toxic."

"Why would someone want to give me drugs?"

"While Rohypnol is used recreationally, it's also known as a date rape drug. Roofies." He paused, watching as Bella's face crumpled. She gripped my hand tighter. "Do you remember anything?"

"I was at a party. I don't remember anything unusual happening. It was hot. Really hot. I was thirsty." She frowned. "The last thing I remember is going upstairs to the bathroom." She blushed.

"How well do you know the young man who brought you in to the hospital?"

Bella opened her eyes wide in shock at the implication. "Travis? He would never do anything like that. Never."

"Are you certain? He could have drugged you and realized afterwards that he had given you too much."

The doctor was cautious, but Bella shook her head vehemently. "Never."

"Would you like to do a date rape kit?" he asked gently. "Since you don't remember, that's the only way we'll know whether or not you were raped."

Tears welled in Bella's eyes. She drew in a long, deep breath, her lower lip quivering. "Yes," she finally said. "I want to know."

"We'll need an officer present. He has to verify the chain of custody." He looked at me. "And you will have to leave."

"No," Bella shouted, coughing afterwards. "No. I want him to stay with me." She turned to me. "Please?" Her voice trembled.

I squeezed her hand back. "If she wants me to stay, then I'm staying." Dr. Styron nodded unhappily and left to bring back an officer. I wondered if that would be Bass or Accent.

It turned out to be a third officer, a woman who introduced her self as Det. Hollinger and spoke quietly to Bella, reassuring her that this was a simple procedure. She explained that she had to see the doctor prepare the kit so that it could be evidence if there was a trial. Then she took a chair behind Bella, trying to give her as much privacy as possible.

I turned my chair to face Bella. It wasn't as if I hadn't seen her naked, but this was different. I held her hand and looked steadily into her eyes. She winced and swallowed as the doctor spoke to her in soothing tones, describing each step.

"You don't have bruising. That's a good sign," he murmured.

"There's a bruise on her arm," I said, pointing to the deep purple that circled a large portion of her left arm.

The police officer nodded. "That could be from someone holding onto her to help her walk. But we'll still want to get a photograph."

I watched as the doctor clipped what he could off the fingernails of Bella's left hand. "You're a nail-biter, aren't you?" Bella nodded bleakly and the doctor removed her right hand from mine so he could clip her nails."

"Are you her boyfriend?" the officer asked. When I nodded, she set her lips in a frozen line and said, "We'd like to get a DNA sample from you, if you're willing."

"Whatever you need," I mumbled. At least she was more polite than Bass or Accent.

Det. Hollinger watched me carefully for a moment, then spoke. "How much older are you?" Bella laughed. The officer looked confused and then frowned as if she thought Bella might be suddenly hysterical. "What's so funny about that?"

"He's two years younger than me," Bella giggled.

"Are you sure?" Det. Hollinger said, clearly skeptical. "He could have lied to you."

Bella nodded eagerly, still smiling. "His father is my father's best friend. I'm absolutely certain." She reached for my hand again.

"Well, he looks older." Det. Hollinger eyed me warily, as if she still didn't quite believe Bella. Then she turned to the doctor. "We should get a sample from the other boy, too. The one who brought her in."

"I'll bring him in so you can ask him," Dr. Styron said. "You can take those samples."

I held Bella's hand, wanting to be here for a different reason. Hoping that the overdose was the worst that had happened to her. Thankful that if it wasn't, at least she couldn't remember. Wishing that I had been here to protect her.

She just smiled at me and whispered, "I'm glad you were here when I woke up."


	31. Chapter 31

Part 31

By Tekhne

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" Charlie's voice bellowed through Bella's suite.

I jumped awake, immediately alert, and held Bella protectively. Why was Charlie screaming? What on earth was he so upset about?

Charlie?

I stared, unable to speak, as his face turned a deep, deep purple. "Jacob Black, you better have a good explanation for this!"

Oh.

He was yelling at me.

"First I get a call from my insurance company asking if I'm in California, which obviously, I wasn't. Then I realize it's Bella, that she must be at the hospital. So I call the hospital, and they won't tell me anything because she's over eighteen. I try to call here, but no one answered the phone, so I fly down here and find my daughter in bed with my best friend's son. Did I get any part of that wrong?"

"Not exactly," I mumbled.

"Ch—Dad," Bella tried to soothe him. "It's not what you think."

Which was true, this time. Not that it hadn't been what he thought in the past.

Charlie spoke to Bella, but stared at me. "Bella, I'd like you to be quiet. I want Jacob to explain this."

"But, Dad—"

I rubbed my hand along her arm. "It's fine, Bella. Let me talk to him." I met Charlie's gaze. "It's not what it looks like, Charlie." Then I glanced at the bed, where Bella lay, leaning back against me. She had on sweats, and so did I. It was, in fact, exactly what it looked like. But not what Charlie thought. Of course, that probably wasn't the way to explain anything to him. Kathy appeared briefly in the door and mouthed 'sorry' before she disappeared into her room.

"Charlie, take a deep breath and look at us."

He did as I asked, taking in the way we were dressed, the dark circles under Bella's eyes, and the bruise on her arm. His expression softened.

"Why don't I start from the beginning. At least, the beginning from my perspective. I got a call Thursday night from one of Bella's friends that he'd taken her to the hospital. They'd been to a party. If I'd been thinking, I would have called you then, but I didn't think; I just left. I threw these sweats and a toothbrush into a bag and drove straight to the airport. When I got here, I took a cab to the hospital." I paused.

He jumped in. "It's Sunday, Jacob. I had to come down here to find this out?"

"I stayed at the hospital with Bella and came home with her yesterday. We've been asleep since then. We would have called today when we woke up," I assured him.

"Bella, what about the hospital?" Charlie asked, his voice almost a whisper.

"I overdosed," Bella said. Charlie's face blanched this time. Bella realized her mistake. "Not on purpose, Dad. Someone slipped it into my drink at a party. Roofies."

Charlie was a cop. He knew what that meant. Pain twisted his face as he wrapped his mind around the implications.

"I'm all right, Dad. They had to pump my stomach, but really, that's it."

"Bella, are you sure that's it?" His eyes returned to the bruise on her arm.

"They did a rape kit, Dad. Travis got me out of the party and to the hospital before anything happened." Somehow she kept the tremor out of her voice, but I could feel her shaking against my body.

"Who is Travis?" A little wary of the answer, Charlie glanced at me.

When Bella took a deep breath to steady herself, I stepped in an answered for her. "Travis is a friend of Bella's. I gave him my phone number and email last fall when I came to visit." I kissed her on the temple. "I worry about her, Charlie. I felt better with him looking out for her."

Charlie nodded and sighed. Then he frowned. "A party on Thursday night?"

Bella laughed. "I finished my finals Thursday, but my plane ticket was for Friday. Some celebration, huh?"

"You ready to come home?" Charlie asked. ""Or do you need to rest some more before you fly?"

"I'm ready to go home," she said, relief flooding her voice.

"Then I guess I better get us some plane tickets." Charlie smiled. "Unless you already have a ticket home, Jake?"

"I just bought the ticket here. I didn't know how long Bella would need me."

"Same here," Charlie said. "I'll try to get seats with as much leg room as possible." He stepped forward and kissed Bella on the forehead, then moved towards the door. He looked at me over his shoulder and raised his eyebrow. "Don't get too comfortable while I'm gone."


	32. Chapter 32

Part 32

By Tekhne

After Charlie picked up the tickets, I left him alone with Bella for a while. I had an errand of my own. I took a deep breath—I needed every bit of my control for this. Then I knocked on the door.

Burt answered. "Uh—hi, Hometown."

"Hi, Burt. Is Patrick here? Or has he gone home for Christmas?" I hoped he was here. It would mean another trip to California if he wasn't, because I planned to talk to him one way or the other. Bella remembered him giving her a Coke, and when Travis found her, Patrick was leading her upstairs. It might be impossible to prove he'd drugged Bella, but it was enough circumstantial evidence for me.

"Yeah. He's here. He's from L.A., so he's just staying here over the holidays. No pressure from the 'rents that way, you know? C'mon in." He led me through the house I remembered from the Halloween party. "He's in the basement watching television." He nodded in the direction of the stairway.

I walked quietly, not wanting to give him a warning. I shouldn't have worried. When he saw me, he grinned. "Hey, Hometown. What brings you here?"

"You do, actually," I said, keeping my voice steady and even. Since that first time, I hadn't phased against my will and I didn't want that to happen here, of all places.

Then it hit him. He knew why I was here. I could smell the adrenaline. The sweat. The fear. He stood up and backed away from me. I followed, slowly, never taking my eyes off him, staring him down. "You drugged her."

"You can't prove that!" he hissed.

"I don't have to. I know it just the same."

He was stuck between me and the wall. I grabbed his shirt and lifted him off the floor. "She almost died. You gave her so much of that drug she ODed. They had to pump her stomach. Did you know that?"

"I didn't mean to give her so much." His voice quivered as he panicked. Did he realize he'd just admitted to slipping the roofie into her drink?

My hands shook against his shirt, but I was still in control. "I know what you _meant_ to do." I stated coldly. "Travis saved your life by spoiling your plans, because I assure you, if you had laid one hand on her, I would kill you. Without hesitation."

He breathed heavily, his shoulders heaving. "I wasn't going to hurt her. It was just a little fun."

"It wasn't much fun for her. They had to pump her stomach. And when she woke up, she didn't know if you had raped her or not. They had to do a rape kit so she could have peace of mind." He couldn't look at me. "But you _will_ stay away from her from now on. Because if you come near her, I won't bother trying to control my temper."

"This is you controlling your temper?" Nervous laughter spilled out of his mouth.

I smiled. I hoped I looked dangerous. "You have no idea how angry I can get. Or what I can do when I'm angry. And trust me; you do not want to find out."

He looked like he might cry. "I'll stay away from her."

"You'd better," I snarled as I let him drop to the floor. He winced and fell to his knees. I couldn't help hoping that both of his ankles were broken. I wanted to spit on him, but instead, I took a deep breath. Then I turned on my heel and walked away.


	33. Chapter 33

Part 33

By Tekhne

Charlie and Jacob were both uncomfortably silent as we boarded the airplane. Unexpectedly, Charlie had sprung for first class seats. He wanted me to be comfortable enough to sleep, and Jacob needed the leg room. It was pointless, at least for me. As tired as I was, my stomach ached, my throat burned and my head throbbed. More than enough to keep anyone awake.

I raised the armrest between us and leaned against Jacob. His warmth soothed me and made me feel safe. I could read the worry on his face, so I closed my eyes. I think Charlie assumed I'd drifted off.

"We should probably have a little talk," Charlie mumbled, clearly uncomfortable.

"About?" Jacob stated simply. I couldn't hear any dread in his voice, but he had to know what was coming. I wanted to curl up and die at the mere thought of the two of them having this particular tête-à-tête. The best I could do was pretend to sleep.

Charlie sighed. "You and Bella— Seeing you together— Things seem more serious between the two of you than I realized. I figured, with the distance, that it wouldn't be so—" His voice faded away.

For a moment, Jacob remained silent. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft and low, but steady. "I want to marry her, Charlie." He let that sink in a moment.

"You're too young. You're both too young," he hissed franticly.

"I know. I—we have a plan," Jacob continued. "A long-term plan."

"A plan?" Charlie stammered.

Jacob took a deep breath. "That's why I left high school to open the garage. Working for the on-line degree just gives me more options. When Bella graduates, I want her to come back to _our_ home. I want it to be ready for her." He paused. "I'm pretty sure that's what she wants, too. I mean, we haven't talked about the timing, just the outcome."

"I see."

I could almost hear Charlie frown.

The words rushed out of Jacob's mouth. "I'd marry her tomorrow if that's what she wanted."

"It's not that I doubt you, Jake. I just don't want you rushing into anything. Either of you. And—" He stopped abruptly.

I knew what was about to follow that 'and' and I didn't like it. I felt a little guilty, too, letting Jacob handle this discussion alone.

"I hope," Charlie gritted out the words. "I hope that you're being careful."

It took all of my willpower to keep my eyes from bugging out of my head. I must have flinched, because Jacob patted my back reassuringly. He didn't say a word. I couldn't understand how he could stay so calm. Charlie wasn't even talking to me and I wanted to scream.

Charlie inhaled and exhaled, trying to calm himself before he muttered, "I know I'm the last person you want to talk to about this, but I think it's probably easier for us, you know, man-to-man. I mean, better than me talking to Bella."

Thankfully, my hair covered my face because I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. I wondered if anyone else on the airplane could hear them talking.

"I don't really want to know." Inexplicably lucid for someone who normally didn't talk much, Charlie continued to flounder for the right words and opted for any words, instead. "I just want you to be _careful_." He stressed the last word, clarifying the meaning of his vague statement. "You do understand what I'm saying, don't you?"

Finally, Jacob responded, his voice steady and calm, "Charlie, you have nothing to worry about."

"Jacob, I'm her father. I'll worry about her until I die." He cleared his throat. "You'll understand someday. I just don't want that day to come too soon."

Even if I could have slept before that conversation, I couldn't now. I leaned against Jacob, doing my best to ignore the uncomfortable silence. Neither of them spoke again until the plane landed in Washington.


	34. Chapter 34

Part 34

By Tekhne

Charlie, Billy and I watched as Jacob placed the angel on the top of the tree. He didn't need a chair to stand on; his long arms reached over the branches with ease. Then he stepped back to survey the results. Charlie managed a nervous smile and seemed to relax despite his recent awkwardness around Jacob. Billy, usually unemotional, nodded and murmured, "Nice tree." Jacob stepped closer to me and put his arm around me without speaking. There went Charlie's relaxation. This had all the trappings of a future tradition.

"How about some hot chocolate?" I suggested and watched a grin spread across Jacob's face.

"And maybe some of those snickerdoodle cookies you made earlier?" he gave me a pleading look.

I laughed. "I think there might be a few of them left. You ate all of the sugar cookies and the chocolate chips." He ducked his head guiltily, looking for all the world like an enormous toddler.

"Jake, I don't know how you do it. You wolfed down half of that pot roast, too. I'd say you're a growing boy, but I just don't see how you can grow anymore than you already have," Charlie teased, a little of his edginess slipping away.

Nervously, I smiled. Jacob frowned. Billy just shook his head. "He's been eating me out of house and home for a few years now, Charlie. Be glad you don't have to deal with feeding a teenaged boy."

Charlie raised his eyebrows. "I think I have been for the last week."

"Actually, neither of you is feeding me. Bella cooked, and I bought the groceries." Jacob folded his arms across his chest and gave them a mock glare. He tried to keep his face serious, but couldn't keep from joining in when Charlie and Billy started laughing.

"Cookies and hot chocolate for everyone," I murmured, shaking my head as I headed into the kitchen.

"I'll help you," Jacob offered, following me.

Jacob grabbed a cookie while I poured milk and dropped half a block of chocolate into a pan on the stove. "Have I told you I loved you lately?" he mumbled as some crumbs fell onto his shirt.

"Not since we finished dinner." I brushed the crumbs off his shirt and kissed his cheek. "Not that I mind hearing it as often as you want to say it." I kissed him full on the lips this time, and he lifted me up off the floor. "I love you too, you know." My whisper tickled his ear and he breathed deeply.

As much as I wanted to stay safely enfolded in his warm arms, I didn't want the hot chocolate to burn. After one more kiss, I sighed and said, "My milk is about to boil."

"Mine too," Jacob grinned.

"The hot chocolate. On the stove."

For once, someone besides me blushed. "That wasn't what I was talking about," he said, his voice husky as he set me on the floor again, making sure I had my balance before he let go.

I rolled my eyes and answered, "I know," before turning to stir the hot chocolate.

His hand brushed down my back. "Charlie's worried about you."

I nodded. Jacob wasn't telling me anything new. Charlie had been walking around on eggshells since I'd come home for Christmas.

"He thinks you might decide not to go back."

"Or that I will. It depends on his mood," I explained. "I'm not sure which scares him the most."

"How do _you_ feel about it?" He stepped beside me, watching, waiting for me to make eye contact as I answered.

I gripped the spoon tighter and refused to look away from the stove. "I don't quite trust myself right now." I paused. I had taken that Coke. I knew better than to do something like that. It was stupid. "I'm not even sure who did it. Who I shouldn't trust." I thought it was Patrick, but I couldn't remember. I wanted to go back, to finish school, but doubting myself, my judgment, made me nervous.

Jacob frowned. "I know who it was."

"You can't know for sure any more than I can."

"Yes, I can. When I left you with Charlie, I went to talk to Patrick. He admitted it." Jacob's jaw clenched, his teeth gritting together.

"You talked to him?" I considered the possible consequences. "Did you hurt him?"

"I wanted to. Especially after he claimed it was all in fun. It might have been _his_ idea of fun. I pointed out that neither what happened nor what he wanted to happen was your idea of fun." He shook his head and paused to breathe deeply. "The only reason I didn't hurt him was that there was no way to prove he did it. If I hit him, I'd have been the one in trouble with the cops. That wouldn't have helped you at all."

"What _did_ you do?" I asked.

Jacob shrugged. "I just picked him up and held him against the wall. And made it clear that if he ever bothered you again, I'd kill him."

Although his voice was dead serious, I laughed.

"I wasn't joking," Jacob insisted.

"Oh, I know you weren't," I assured him. "I'm just trying to imagine the look on his face."

"He was pretty scared." Jacob ducked his head, but still couldn't hide the satisfied grin that covered his face.

"Then I guess it's safe for me to go back."

He raised his eyebrows, clearly pleased. "Now you just have to tell Charlie."

"Well, as long as you're staying in La Push, he'll probably be able to handle it," I pointed out.

It was Jacob's turn to roll his eyes. "And I thought Charlie liked me."

"Oh, he _does_ like you." I stopped stirring long enough to grab a plate from the cabinet, hand it to him and point to the cookies.

He winced and began to stack the plate. "Could've fooled me. He's been a little testy lately."

I giggled. "If he only knew…"

"Trust me, he knows. You weren't really sleeping on the plane. You heard that conversation." Jacob shuddered at the memory of 'the talk' with Charlie. "He knows. He's just trying to pretend like he doesn't have any idea because he doesn't want to think about it. I am starring in his nightmares, and they have _nothing_ to do with werewolves."

"I think what concerns him the most about us is that he's afraid we'll do something impulsive, like elope next week. He'd be fine with eloping, but he dreads the possibility that he might have to tell Renée. She would go ballistic and take it out on him. He's more terrified of her tantrums than he is of a criminal with a gun. He knows exactly what to do with a criminal, but I think Renée has always confused him." I'd grown up around Renée's temper. Charlie had good reason to want to avoid it.

Jacob shook his head. "He may be worried about your mom, but I think the idea of you getting pregnant scares him a lot more than she does."

"You don't know Renée."

"What's taking so long?" Charlie called out, a nervous edge to his voice. "You need some help in there?"

I grabbed four mugs and poured the hot chocolate. "I just need a tray, Dad," I said, reaching into the cabinet for one.

"He probably thinks we're having sex on the counters," Jacob laughed, but I could tell Charlie was getting to him.

"Tomorrow." I winked and picked up the tray. "While Charlie's at work."


	35. Chapter 35

Part 35

By Tekhne

Jacob's hands felt warm against my stomach. "I thought we were going to be on the countertop in the kitchen." It took every effort to keep from cracking a smile.

"We can if you want to, but I think your bed is probably more comfortable," he whispered as if Charlie might hear him, even though Charlie left for work long before Jacob arrived. He kissed my stomach, his lips burning against my skin. I loved the heat that surged through me whenever he touched me, melting everything inside me. And then I fluttered, light as air, shuddering, while it seemed that only Jacob, on top of me, kept me from floating away. I thought of chemistry. States of matter. Was I subliming or reaching a critical state?

I squirmed, enjoying his thorough attentiveness. Jacob preferred this patient approach, exploring me, teasing me. Not that I had any complaints. He left every cell of my body trembling. Even my hair tingled. And the anticipation. I smiled, absorbing his warmth as he lifted the cotton tee I'd slept in over my head, kissing his way up my torso as he revealed me. His shirt followed mine to the floor.

He pulled back, taking in my nakedness with a hungry glance. Then slowly, methodically, he began to kiss me, his tongue as soft as velvet against my breasts. He nipped gently and the flesh under his assault swelled taut. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I could feel his nimble fingers fluttering over my abdomen, barely registering as he slipped his hands under my panties to push them off. Somehow, I managed a kick, helping his final tug as he freed me of my clothes. None of this interrupted his concentration, his tongue flickering continually against my nipples.

Just when I thought I would burst, his lips trailed down my stomach, over my hips, to caress my thighs. He lifted my left leg and kissed the soft, white skin behind my knee. I shuddered as the warmth of his touch emphasized the chill of the room.

"You cold?" he whispered.

"Only where you don't touch me."

A slow grin spread across his face. "Guess that means you want me to touch you everywhere." He kissed the arch of one foot then the other before his hands rubbed lightly along my legs. I could only hear the steady rhythm of his breath as he pressed my thighs apart and draped them over his shoulders. Then, even that murmur fell silent as his lips, his tongue burned against my skin, and a rush of heat traveled along every nerve in my body.

I breathed deeply, taking in his scent: the spicy fragrance of pine; the windswept, salty clean of the ocean; the richness of fresh-tilled earth. The muscles across his shoulders roiled under my legs, rippling in a rhythm that echoed each thrust of his tongue. I rotated my hips and pressed harder against his lips, grinding against him. He raised his head for a moment and smiled, his eyes meeting mine before he continued, the brief pausing increasing my anticipation. He began again with renewed intensity, bringing wave after wave of release. With a ragged breath, I arched my back, shuddering, my body completely and utterly out of control.

Still gasping, I trembled as he moved back up my body. I grabbed for his butt and realized he still had his jeans on. How did I always end up naked while he managed to stay dressed? I grabbed the band, slipping my hand around to the fly and in a desperate rush pushed them over his hips.

"In a hurry?" he asked as he kicked them off.

I didn't say a word. I just kissed him deep and hard. He pressed so close to me I'm not sure molecules of air could pass between us. Not that I wanted them to. Then he wrapped me in one arm and rolled onto his back, leaving me straddling him.

"Did you have something specific in mind?" I asked, letting my hands rove over his stomach to rest on his chest. His muscles tensed at my touch.

"I thought I'd just let you take the lead for a while." He grinned as he ran his fingers over my thighs. "Although I can take directions."

"Directions, huh? So if I said to do this," I used my hand to bring his between my legs. Then I pinched his fingers around my nub. "And not to stop. At least, not until I said so, you would?"

He worked his fingers, stroking and tweaking exactly as I'd demonstrated. "I think I could manage that," he nodded.

He didn't seem to be having any trouble with it from my point-of-view.

"Can you give directions, too?"

With his free hand, he curled mine around his length, squeezing and pulling. He pressed hard against me, and I wanted him inside. Needed him.

"Your turn," he whispered, his husky voice turning into a soft moan. His chest rose as he inhaled deeply. I didn't want to wait, and he knew it. Still, he waited for me to make the move. So I did, shifting my body to take him in slowly. He gasped as I tightened around each inch. Finally, he bucked against me, all restraint gone. And somehow, his hand never slipped the whole time.

I rocked my body, taking him in and out, each thrust deeper than the last. He ran a hand through his hair and shuddered. His muscles constricted and released as his breath came faster and faster.

He watched me, his eyes roving over my breasts, his tongue circling his lips as he fixed his gaze on mine. I smiled, and using him as my guide, I rubbed my body. His mouth opened wide as he stared, following my hand over my breasts, between them, down my stomach and back up my sternum. I grazed my neck and brought one finger to my lips and traced their shape. His breathing became more ragged, and I slipped my tongue around my finger before I slid it slowly into my mouth and matched the rhythm of my hips. His muscles undulated, and he licked his lips, still staring at every move I made.

I'd never imagined that he'd have such a response. "You like that?"

He swallowed and tried to speak, but could barely mouth the words. Finally, he just shook his head and groaned low in his throat. I loved that sound and everything it meant.

"I love you," I whispered and dropped both hands to his chest.

Only then did he lift his hand, grabbing me as we pulsed together. His hips crashed into mine, and I pressed my face into his chest, his body so warm beneath me. I decided that I could stay like this forever, suspended in time with every nerve of my body burning, buzzing with fiery energy, exploding into waves of bliss.

He held his breath, and I could feel his stomach rippling against me, his thighs tighten between my legs, and the throb as he climaxed inside me. He sighed, his breath rushing out of his mouth as he shuddered beneath me. I trembled, too, a luxurious electricity running through my body, charging through my core in a shockwave. And then I lay, spent, on top of him.

He ran his fingers through my hair. It, like the rest of me, was slick with sweat. Jacob didn't seem to mind, even though the only perspiration on his body was mine.

"You know," he paused, smiling as I lifted my head to look at him, "your bed is probably a lot more comfortable than the kitchen counters."


	36. Chapter 36

Part 36

By Tekhne

"This is not the way to spend New Year's, Jake. You could still go to the party. Have a good time. See some fireworks." I hated that he was here with me. Not because he was with me, but because I was sick. It couldn't be much fun for him. I glanced at him, curled up in the kitchen chair he'd carried upstairs to sit on. He made it look like children's furniture. And I looked totally bedraggled: red nose, rheumy eyes. My hair was probably a mess, too. I guess I should be grateful for something as harmless as a sinus infection. At least I didn't have some crazy vampire chasing me.

Jacob laughed. "If I went to the party, I wouldn't have anyone to kiss at midnight."

I rolled my eyes. "Because everyone wants to kiss someone who's blowing, coughing and hacking away."

"Everyone might not, but I do as long as that someone is you."

"At least you can't catch this. You don't know how lucky you are." I sighed as another cough erupted from my throat.

"I am lucky, but not so much because I can't get sick anymore." His lips brushed against mine. "I'm lucky because you love me."

What could I say to that?

The force of my sneeze lifted me off the mattress. Jacob laughed and handed me a tissue. "I am sorry you feel so bad, though. And by the time you feel better you'll be heading back to L.A. for the next semester."

"Christmas break does seem short. Not enough time with you." I actually enjoyed classes at UCLA, and the weather suited me to a tee. Somehow, I still ended up counting the days before I could return to Forks—and to Jacob.

He sighed, and I knew he would miss me, too. Although how he could find much time for missing anyone was beyond me. Between running a business, taking computer classes and patrolling for vampires it amazed me that he found time to sleep.

"I'm worried about you," he mumbled.

My eyes narrowed. He always worried about me, but he seemed extraordinarily concerned. "What are you worried about?"

With some hesitation, he finally spoke. "Bells, honey, you've been through a traumatic experience. I'm afraid that you're going to have it all come crashing down. If that happens, or maybe I should say _when_ that happens, I want to be there for you, instead of two states away."

"I'm fine, Jacob. Well, other than this sinus infection, I'm fine." I grabbed his hand, hoping to reassure him. "I honestly don't remember anything. One minute I was at the party and the next I was waking up in the hospital with you right beside me."

He whispered, "You almost died."

"But I didn't."

"Promise me one thing," he pleaded.

I nodded.

"If Patrick comes near you," his teeth clenched and the muscles in his jaw and at his temple pulsed with the same anger that dripped from his voice, "you will tell me."

"I think you scared him, Jacob. I can't imagine that I need to feel anxious about anything he might do. At least as far as I'm concerned." Not if Jacob looked half as infuriated as he did right now when he talked to Patrick. I kept waiting for his hands to shake, for him to move back and breathe deeply, but he didn't.

"Promise me," he repeated, his voice grave.

"Of course. It's not as if I want to be around him anyway." As I said it, I was wondering how I might manage that. Patrick lived with Burt and the two of them spent a lot of time around Kathy. I'd have to tell her that I knew it was Patrick, and I wasn't looking forward to that. "I'll let you know."

Jacob sighed, clearly relieved.

"I've never seen you that angry, Jake. And you didn't shake at all."

He grinned. "Yoga and meditation must be working."

What on earth was he talking about? "Yoga and meditation?"

"Sam thought it was a good idea for all of us. Paul, especially. And of course, he made it a command, so we're kind of stuck with it. Thirty minutes of yoga together in the early morning and thirty minutes of meditation alone at night. I've got the 'shooting bow' pose down. Wanna' see?" Without waiting for a response, he rolled off the chair and onto the floor, stretched his right leg out and grabbed his big toe. He bent his left leg back at the knee, lifted his elbow into the air and grabbed that big toe, holding it near his ear. It did look like someone pulling a bow-string back. "I can do the headstand, too, but I want to hold it longer. And I'm working on the scorpion. It's the hardest. You curl up on your elbows in a handstand and bend your legs over so you look like a scorpion ready to sting someone. Nobody else is anywhere near those moves." He smiled proudly. He released his legs and lay flat on the floor, then raised his legs over his head to touch the floor with his toes, his arms and shoulders still flat against the ground. "Everybody can do the plow. Quil's favorite is the 'wind-releasing' pose."

"You don't have to demonstrate that one," I laughed, but it turned into a cough.

"I think Quil eats bean burritos for breakfast just so he can make the rest of us miserable," he said, his voice muffled.

I winced at the thought. "Must be a guy thing."

"Or a Quil thing." He rolled his eyes.

Charlie knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for a response. "Thought you might want some orange juice, Bells." Obviously surprised to find Jacob on the floor, he tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing, son?"

"Jacob's demonstrating yoga, Dad."

That resulted in a silent nod and an awkward, "You want some orange juice, too?"

"Sure, sure. I'll come get it," Jacob stated as he rolled himself upright.

Charlie shook his head. "I'll get it. No problem." He left the door open. Obviously, he wasn't really concerned about orange juice.

"Good timing, actually. You have some medicine due." Jacob picked up the pill bottle and shook it. "And you need some Chapstick."

"My lips aren't chapped," I insisted, frowning.

He chuckled. "But your nose is."

My nose was raw, and as he rubbed the tube of wax over my nose, it felt strangely soothing.

"Just remind me not to use that particular Chapstick on my mouth."

Jacob kissed my forehead and I sighed. If I had to spend New Year's Eve sick in bed, at least I could enjoy spending it with Jacob, although I doubted I'd manage to stay awake long enough to ring in the new year. Perhaps if I stopped struggling to stay awake, he'd leave so he could enjoy the fireworks while I slept. I grinned sleepily, feeling only a little guilty that I wouldn't mind if he stayed.


	37. Chapter 37

Part 37

By Tekhne

"Jake, we need to talk," she'd said when she called. "In person. As soon as possible."

This was bad. It wasn't just what she said; I could hear it in her voice. I didn't want to go, thinking if I could just prolong this, it might not happen. After all, everybody knew what 'we need to talk' meant. At least she wanted to do it in person instead of by email or over the phone. I couldn't say no. I could never say no to her. Not even for this.

The drive down was Hell on Earth. What had happened? Everything seemed so perfect over the holidays. Was there someone else? I tried not to think about it, but it wouldn't go away. I kept looking for any reason to go slower, but I couldn't find one. Instead, I raced down the highway, rushing to hear the words that would destroy my world.

How would she say it? "It's not you, it's me." Surely she wouldn't use a cliché.

I arrived fast. Too fast. I could sit in the car here in the parking lot for a few minutes without feeling guilty. A few more minutes that Bella could be mine. Bracing against the steering wheel, I took several deep breaths. I could do this. I could.

The walk to her door was like swimming against a stormy current in the ocean. _Before_ I became a werewolf. I stood for a moment on the stone slab in front of the door before I knocked.

Bella opened the door. Her eyes were red. She must have been crying, but Bella didn't cry. So this was hard for her, too. But if it made her cry that much, why do it?

A smile flickered across her face as she recognized me and flew into my arms. "Thank goodness you're here!" she whispered, her face pressed against my chest.

I held her tightly. This didn't feel like a break-up. It didn't sound like a break-up. I exhaled, suddenly realizing that I'd been holding my breath since I'd knocked on the door. She wasn't breaking up.

My relief was short-lived. After all, something had her terribly upset.

"Bella," I murmured into her ear. "Bella, what's wrong?"

With one hand, I pushed the door shut behind me. Then I carried her to the couch.

"What is it? Tell me, honey."

She sobbed and lowered her head. "I'm late."

"Late for what?" What could be so important? Obviously this wasn't what she had called about. Maybe I could get her there on time. "How late?"

The sobbing stopped, replaced by… laughter?

"About two weeks late, Jacob."

"Two weeks late for—oh. You mean—" It wasn't a break-up. I felt a ridiculous grin spread across my face. Bella wasn't leaving me. I kissed her. I couldn't stop kissing her.

"Jacob," she mumbled between kisses, "did you hear me?"

I cradled her face in my hand. "I heard you."

"It messes everything up. I'm sorry." She shut her eyes.

"Messes what up?" What was she talking about?

She opened her eyes and watched my face carefully. "Our plans. Your timetable. It ruins everything. I'm so sorry."

"Bella, that's crazy. It doesn't ruin anything. It just changes things." Charlie would be upset. It had barely been two months since our uncomfortable chat on the airplane. But he'd come around. And there were more important things to think about right now. "Do you feel okay? Have you been sick? Have you been to a doctor?"

She shook her head. "I'm not even sure. I've tried three of those tests since I called you, but I keep messing them up."

"I thought they were supposed to be easy?"

"The first one I dropped in the toilet. I had bad aim. I kind of made a mess." She was blushing. "I bought another one—after I fished the first stick out to throw it away. And cleaned up the mess. The second one wasn't so bad, but I still couldn't aim right. I just made another mess. It would really be easier if guys had to take the tests, you know. They can aim with more precision."

I laughed. "I'd do it if I could."

That got a grin from her. "The third time, I tried using a cup and putting the stick in the cup. The whole thing turned blue. No plus. No minus. Just a lot of blue."

"So how do we find out?"

"I called student health. There's a blood test they can do." She swallowed hard. "Will you come with me? I'm not good with needles."

Werewolves, bloodsuckers and attempted date-rape don't seem to faze her, but needles freak her out. Go figure. "Of course I'll go with you."

Her body relaxed against mine. "Thank you for coming, Jake."

"I'll always be there when you need me. As soon as I can, no matter what. Always."


	38. Chapter 38

Part 38

By Tekhne

Bella sat nervously on the vinyl chair in the waiting room of the student health center. She'd paled when the nurse drew her blood, and I thought for a minute that she might pass out, even though she was lying down. She still looked like a ghost, but she didn't seem in danger of fainting any time soon.

"You know," she said quietly, "You didn't flinch, Jake. A lot of guys would. You didn't even ask what happened with the birth control pills."

I shrugged. "Birth control doesn't always work. Pills have a smaller failure rate than other things, I know. But nothing's certain. It's not like you did something wrong." I lowered my face to her and kissed her.

"But I did."

"Well, I guess you could say we both did, if you want to look at it that way." After all, I'd been there, too.

She frowned. "That's not what I meant. I forgot about the antibiotics I took at the end of break. I should have remembered that they can lower the effectiveness. I just didn't think about it."

"Well I didn't think about it, either. And worrying about it won't change anything." Maybe appealing to her practical nature would calm her.

"But I've changed everything. You had it all planned out, Jake. It was perfect." She nudged against me, and I held her tighter.

"It hasn't changed that much. We planned to get married. It will just be sooner rather than later. We'll figure out how to make school work. We'll figure out everything." Part of me felt a little scared, too, but Bella didn't need to hear that. Not now. She needed reassurance.

She clung to me quietly, but she seemed calmer. I kissed her forehead and worked through my own feelings. I couldn't help being excited. After all, if Bella was pregnant, we'd be getting married sooner. There was nothing I wanted more than that. We wouldn't have to hide from Charlie and Billy anymore, although I was pretty sure that both of them already had a pretty good idea of the extent of my relationship with Bella.

What if we had twins? I read somewhere that Indians have a higher percentage of multiple births. What would Bella look like pregnant? I smiled at that thought.

The responsibility was a little intimidating. But I was making good money at the shop and paying the loans off early. We'd get by. More than get by. And we'd be a family. I'd be a father. A _father_.

"Miss Swan?" A woman's voice brought me out of my daydreams. "Dr. Wells is ready to discuss your test."

Bella squeezed my hand. Then she squeezed tighter, not letting go. I followed her into the tiny exam room. Bella stared at the white paper rolled across the table and sighed. She jumped when the doctor joined us.

"Miss Swan. Mr.—"

"Black."

He looked us over carefully and smiled. "I'm assuming, from your expressions, that I have good news. The test was negative." He handed Bella a sheet of paper.

She took it without even looking at it and exhaled slowly as a smile trembled across her relieved face. I was relieved, too. But a little sad as the images of my impending family fled from my mind. I ruffled Bella's hair. There would be time enough for family later. For now I had Bella all to myself.


	39. Chapter 39

Part 39

By Tekhne

Bella leaned against me as we sat on the couch. I'd underestimated the extent of her exhaustion. I suspected she'd had trouble sleeping for more than a few nights. I wished she'd called me sooner. For now, all I could do was hold her and hope she'd relax and rest a little.

The television droned on, a background noise. Some cooking show. I never could understand having a whole channel of cooking shows, but Bella seemed to enjoy it. I couldn't complain, since I usually reaped the benefits.

When the door slammed open, it startled us both. I'd been so focused on Bella I hadn't heard Kathy approaching with Burt and Travis. Surprising, given Burt's usual volume.

"Bella, you don't look so good."

Yeah, Burt. Way to make a girl feel better.

"I'm just tired," Bella mumbled as she pressed closer to me.

Burt narrowed his eyes. He noted my presence and growled. "Patrick didn't show up here, did he?"

That surprised me. I thought Patrick was his friend. His roommate. But he seemed really concerned about Bella.

She didn't speak, but shook her head.

"You don't have to call Hometown to take care of him. If he bothers you, we'll make him sorry for it."

Travis grinned and explained, "I told Burt what happened. He's the one with the lease to the house. He kicked Patrick out."

"Yeah. Nobody wants that shit happening where they live. And we all know what a tee-totaler Bella is." Burt's cheeks flushed with anger. "I can't believe he drugged her. I mean, I believe it. I'm just shocked. I wonder if he's done it to other girls. I wish there was a way we could prove it. But we know he did; and he's not coming near her."

I nodded. "I appreciate that. I'm glad Bella has friends who look out for her."

They fanned into the room, each seeking out a place to sit while carefully giving us space. Burt kept talking. I'd never heard him say this much, not even if you added together everything I'd heard him say.

"I feel really bad about it. I knew he had a crush on her. Before we met you, I kept trying to fix them up." He shut his eyes and frowned. "I guess he really didn't want to take no for an answer. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," I shrugged, impressed to see Burt really stepping up.

"He's not welcome here anymore," Kathy added.

Travis smiled, "And since the only parties Bella goes to are at Burt's place, she's safe."

"We watch out for her on campus, too. Not that I think she has anything to worry about." Burt laughed. "I figure that's what you came to talk to him about before holiday break. You scared the hell out of him, whatever you said. He didn't have a mark on him, but he said you were an animal."

Bella giggled, her smile breaking like sunshine across her face. "Imagine that. You an animal." I rolled my eyes.

"Not that we couldn't already figure that out, but TMI, Bella. TMI." Typical Kathy, to interpret that remark the wrong way.

"You sure you're feeling all right, Bella?" Travis asked. "You're awfully quiet."

Kathy looked Bella in the eye. Neither of them spoke and an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Finally Kathy sighed and lifted her eyes to mine. "She's not sleeping much."

I wondered if she remembered more about what happened at that party. Or if the shock had worn off and some emotions had registered. I rubbed her arm and held her more tightly.

"The past couple of weeks, I've heard her up and seen the light coming from under her door," Kathy added.

Two weeks. It wasn't Patrick keeping her awake. She'd been worried that she was pregnant. And she'd gone through it alone. "You shouldn't have waited so long to call me," I whispered. Between the stress and not sleeping, she must feel exhausted beyond belief.

Kathy coughed quietly. "I'll bet if we left now, she could sleep. She'd probably be asleep if we hadn't showed up." She smiled at me. "In fact, let me grab some sweats. I can stay at Burt's tonight so I don't wake either of you up coming in late."

Burt grinned as she disappeared into her room. "Thanks for showing up, Hometown. She hasn't stayed at my place since we got back to school. Doesn't want to leave Bella alone here overnight. And, well, she's kind of… loud, so she doesn't like for me to stay here."

Speaking of TMI. I noticed Travis wincing at this revelation as much as I was. Subtlety was obviously neither Kathy nor Burt's strong suit. But Bella did need some sleep, and she didn't need to be alone. Even with everyone here, I could feel her drifting off in my arms.

Returning to the room with a duffle bag, Kathy grinned and wiggled her fingers. "I'll check in tomorrow. You can let me know how long you're staying." Burt beamed as he threw Kathy's bag over his shoulder.

Travis shook his head as he watched the two of them. "Later, Jake," he whispered before he followed them out the door, carefully locking it behind him.

I waited for Bella to fall soundly asleep, grateful for the fact she'd worn sweats. She'd be comfortable sleeping in them. Once her breathing slowed to a steady pace and she leaned against me, her body fully relaxed, I stood with her in my arms. I laid her gently on the bed, wrapping her in the sheets before I lay down beside her. She snuggled up against me, tucking her head into my chest. Soon, sleep found us both.


	40. Chapter 40

Part 40

By Tekhne

I woke as the first light filtered through the window. It seemed so much brighter here, and I suppose it was, given the typical cloudless blue skies as opposed to the permanent overcast days of the Olympic Peninsula. Bella still slept, her peaceful breathing marking a steady beat. I rested beside her, my hands twirled in her hair, trying not to disturb her. She'd faced a stress that I might share, but it couldn't affect me in the same way, and she'd carried the anxiety for days rather than the few hours I had.

"No baby," she whispered. Perhaps her sleep wasn't as sound as I originally thought. She shifted in my arms, pressing against me and mumbling something I couldn't understand, then called my name and turned to face me.

"Good morning, beautiful," I said before I kissed her.

She laughed. "The only thing good about it is finding you beside me. How long have you been awake?"

"Since sunrise. I wanted to let you snooze, though. I figured you needed it."

I watched as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and yawned. She shook her head, arched her back and stretched her arms toward the ceiling, yawning a second time.

"Still tired? It's early. You don't have to get up," I reassured her.

"I can sleep when you've gone home." She glanced away, suddenly nervous. "I'm sorry to bring you all the way down here on a wild goose chase, but I needed you."

Ah, she was embarrassed. That's why she wouldn't look at me. I cupped her chin in my hand and lifted her face. "It wasn't a wild goose chase. You needed me. That's reason enough." I sighed, remembering the drive down, how worried I'd been. "I was actually relieved when you told me why." That statement earned me a puzzled stare. I shrugged. "You just said, 'We need to talk,' and that's usually followed up with something like, 'it's not you, it's me,' or, 'I just need some space.'"

"You thought I called you to come down here so that I could break up? And you still came?"

"I was just glad you wanted to do it face-to-face instead of by phone or email. Face-to-face I thought I might have a chance." My turn to be embarrassed.

She laughed. "That explains how calm you were."

"I knew how scared you were, but I also knew that we'd find a way to make things work, for you to finish your degree even if we did get married and have a baby sooner than we planned." I paused. "That is, assuming you want to have children. We've never really talked about it."

She darted toward me with a kiss. "Of course I want us to have children. Just not right _now_."

For a moment, she lay there quietly, a comfortable silence between us. Then she remembered something. "When the doctor gave us the test results, for a moment, just the briefest moment, you seemed disappointed."

She often remarked about how observant I was, but she seemed to notice the slightest thing, too. How could I explain this to her? "It's hard to describe." I shook my head. Maybe if I came at it another way. "There are so many things in my life that I don't want, but I've come to accept them. I never _wanted_ to be a werewolf, but I am. I never _wanted_ to be bound to the reservation, but I am. And while I always knew that one day I'd be taking care of my father because of his diabetes, I didn't _want_ that day to be while I was still in high school. But you, you are the one thing in my life that I _want_. I _want_ us to be married. I _want_ us to have children. The idea of you being pregnant and us going ahead and getting married a couple of years earlier than we planned—it just meant that I got what I _wanted_ sooner. I know it was selfish, but I felt happy."

I deserved a slap across the face for being so self-centered. Instead, she kissed me again.

"I think I understand. I haven't made a lot of choices in my life; I've just done what needed to be done. I love Renée, but she was a flake, and I had to be the responsible one. It wasn't so bad with Charlie; at least he was stable." She laughed. "Renée's idea of life resembled one hurricane after another. For Charlie, it's more like a wading pool. But they made choices in their lives to make them that way. For me it was more like floating along a river and going wherever the current took me, however fast the current moved, through any kind of weather. I didn't even choose UCLA. I put off applying to schools until this program was the only option I had if I wanted to go to college. The only time in my life that I made a real choice was when I decided to move from Phoenix to Forks, and that was for someone else, not me."

She grinned. "You are your own force of nature. I guess my river finally met the sea." She looked at me, her eyes probing inside me. "I chose you for me. I chose you."

Not exactly. She chose _him_. And when it was clear that _he_ would never come back, then she chose me. Over the likes of Mike Newton and every other guy at Forks High School. If the leech had never left, she'd be with him. Maybe as cold and dead as him. But I would never complain, because in the end, she chose me over everyone else. She loved me. How she came to that choice didn't really matter.


	41. Chapter 41

Part 41

By Tekhne

It was not my idea to spend spring break in Michigan. Not my idea at all. I could have been cold and wet in Forks with Jacob. Instead, I was staying in a dorm room at Michigan State University. I didn't want to present a project on collaborative education, but I had no choice. The project, a group effort, scored the top grade in the class and our professor submitted it to the planning committee for a national education conference. All seven of us had to change our travel plans. What's more, the rain that pelted down when we arrived had turned into snow.

I wasn't the only one disappointed. "I could be in Mexico right now. But no, I'm freezing my ass off in Michigan," one of my team members complained. I'd never been part of a team before. Just using the term made me dread the excursion more. Teams reeked of sports and I generally fouled out or hurt someone in my athletic endeavors. It seemed like a bad omen.

Still, I could understand the desire to be elsewhere. Almost anywhere else. On this one thing, we all managed to reach a consensus. We took turns grumbling.

"If the conference had been in California, at least we'd be warm. And we could stay in our own dorms."

"Even if it had to be someplace cold, why not New York or Boston?"

"New York would be expensive."

"Florida. It could have been in Florida. I've never seen the Atlantic Ocean. And people actually _choose_ to go there for Spring Break."

I couldn't argue with any of them. If I couldn't go home to Forks, a Florida conference where I could have visited with Renée would beat MSU. Hell might beat MSU. At least it was warm.

"Come on, let's find someplace to eat," I mumbled. Complaining wouldn't help. Maybe something chocolate would.

We trudged through the snow, everyone still complaining, the conversation a steady buzz. I watched my breath puff out in little clouds. My lips felt chapped already. I wished I didn't have to participate in this presentation.

Then, over the sound of our voices, I heard someone scream, "That's my bag! Come back here!"

An older woman, she might have been a professor, kept shouting at a man who ran straight for us. Unlike the rest of my group, I didn't move back fast enough. He barreled right past me, but not without shoving me away.

On the slippery sidewalk, I couldn't find my balance. Instead, I slammed against a parked car. I heard a series of snaps, loud like cracking branches, and then a resounding thud: my head hitting the car.

Awareness crept back slowly. The sidewalk where I had fallen felt too soft. The air too warm and dry. And the light filtered too brightly through my eyelids for the heavy cover of a snowy day.

"Bella. Bella, do you hear me?" The voice sounded familiar. Beautiful. Musical. "Bella, open your eyes if you can."

A dream. Of course. The car had knocked me unconscious. This was a delusion.

"Talk to me, Bella."

I opened my eyes and looked into a stunningly beautiful face. "Carlisle?"

He smiled. "I knew you were in there somewhere. Let me check your eyes." He flashed a bright light. "Just as I thought. You have a concussion." He turned to a woman in green and said, "We'll have to give her a local anesthetic. Now that she's awake, we want to keep her that way."

I struggled to sit up, but Carlisle held me down. "You don't want to move too much. Trust me, you'll feel better if you just relax." Someone rolled me along a corridor and Carlisle followed. "It's a bad break, Bella. Or bad breaks, I should say. You have a compound fracture in your left leg. You can't feel it now, but the more you move, the more likely you _will_ feel it."

If I were going to dream about vampires, there were better dreams. And this felt vaguely familiar. "Are you real?" I felt crazy for asking.

Carlisle nodded, a chuckle breaking through his professional veneer. "You're a little groggy. You've just come out of surgery to repair your leg. It's a little worse than the last time—not one of the breaks is clean like before—but other than the concussion, your leg is the only damage."

If Carlisle was real, that meant—no, don't think about that. I winced.

"Are you in pain, Bella? The anesthetic shouldn't have worn off yet."

Not that kind of pain. I shook my head. "I can't feel anything." At least, not anything to do with my leg.

Carlisle watched me grimly, as if he knew I was lying. I could tell he wanted to say something, that it was a struggle for him to keep it inside. He'd considered me family, just like I did him. He hadn't known the game Edward had played any more than I did. Not until it was too late. And now, neither of us knew the right thing to say, so we didn't say anything.

The pain of my broken leg offered a distraction from the _real _pain. I thought I'd passed this point, but to my surprise, the hole in my heart burst open. It was as bad as it had been when Edward first left, only I wasn't numb. I could perceive every bit of the agony I'd hidden nearly three years ago. It felt like yesterday. Jacob had been the only person who could help me then, and I needed him now. But how could I ask him to come here? I would have to go through this alone. I hoped I'd at least have pieces left for Jacob to put back together.


	42. Chapter 42

Part 42

By Tekhne

I couldn't remember much from the last twenty-four hours. I didn't even know what time it was. Maybe I'd even dreamed the whole thing. But given the cast on my leg and the headache pounding through my skull, the dream scenario didn't seem likely. Which left the 'of all the hospitals in the world, how did I end up in the one where Carlisle works' option. As if to confirm this, Carlisle coughed softly to get my attention. He'd come through the door so quietly, I hadn't even heard him.

"How are you feeling, Bella?" I knew the question was purposely ambiguous. His eyes held mine, speaking more than his words.

I smiled weakly. "A little groggy."

He nodded and squeezed my hand gently. "It's the painkillers. We needed you awake for a while with the concussion, but we started the Percodan this morning. You'll feel a little disoriented for a while."

The Percodan wasn't my biggest problem. I couldn't escape my combined curiosity about Edward, or my dread of knowing the answers to my questions.

"I was expecting you yesterday," Carlisle murmured. He tried to maintain cool professionalism, but his voice softened.

"Expecting me?" I repeated, my voice shaky.

"Alice called a couple of hours before the ambulance brought you in. She'd like to visit, if that's all right with you. So would Emmett."

Alice and Emmett. But not Edward. I supposed he had some other 'distraction' to keep him occupied. It was probably better that he didn't come, anyway. I swallowed, part of me feeling that even thinking about him was a betrayal, in some way, to Jacob. But seeing Alice and Emmett would be nice. I never had a chance to say goodbye to them. I could have that chance, now. And it would be goodbye. I had no doubts that the Cullens would be saying goodbye to East Lansing, Michigan as soon as possible.

"I'd like that, Carlisle," I whispered.

He smiled, his expression brightening. "I'll call them, then. And you should call your father. I had to talk your professor out of it, although she is making arrangements with the school for you to have some time at home instead of going directly back to classes. About telling Charlie. I thought it would be better for you to tell him so he'll worry less." Again, the unspoken subtext: because a call from Carlisle would certainly worry Charlie.

"Thank you." How grateful I was for Carlisle. Charlie would have called Renée. She'd have flipped and taken the first flight.

"I'll give you a code so you can call out long-distance. You can use it as long as you're here." He released my hand, slipped a small notebook out of his pocket and wrote some numbers on it. "I'll tell Alice. That should give you some time to call home." He tore off the slip of paper and handed it to me. "If you want me to tell your father how you're doing, just let me know. And if there's anything else I can do for you, Bella, just ask for me. I'll be back to check on you later."

As he left the room, I reached for the phone. First, a call to Charlie.

He picked up on the third ring.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hey, Bells. How's the conference going?" He sounded cheerful. I hated to ruin his mood.

"I'm not really sure. I had a little accident."

He drew in a sharp breath. "An accident? Are you hurt?"

"It isn't much. Really, not for me. A concussion. A broken leg." I tried to minimalize it. After all, I didn't want him to worry. And mostly I didn't want him to call Renée. "I'm in the hospital, but really, I'm fine."

"Do I need to come pick you up?" That was Charlie. Used to me getting hurt, he skipped to the practical information.

I sighed. The last time I'd broken my leg, Edward and Alice drove me home. I had no idea about getting home this time. "I don't know yet what the plan is, Dad. Give me some time to figure it out. I'll let you know. But I'm okay. Really, I am." At least, as far as my leg was concerned.

"I'll call Jacob and let him know, too," Charlie offered.

"No. I'd rather call him myself."

Charlie laughed. "I should have figured that. What about Renée?"

"Why don't I call her after I come home? That way she can't overreact."

"Good idea." Charlie, of all people, knew how crazy Renée could get. "And let me know how to reach you there as soon as you get a chance."

"I will, Dad."

Never one to talk much, Charlie escaped from the phone conversation quickly. Which left Jacob to call. I took a deep breath. How much to tell him? If I mentioned the Cullens, he'd take the first plane to come get me. And how would he be around them? He hated vampires, and to him, the Cullens were just more vampires. The only thing that kept the wolves away from them in Forks was the treaty. How would the Cullens feel around him? Someone could get hurt.

I dialed the number slowly, taking the time to put together what I planned to say as I called the shop. He was working and the phone switched to the answering machine, but as soon as he heard my voice, he picked up.

"Miss you."

"I miss you, too." And I did. More than he could imagine. But just the sound of his voice helped knit me back together just a little.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the conference right now? I know there's a time difference, but it's still afternoon there. How'd you find time to call me? Not that I'm complaining or anything."

He even sounded warm.

"The conference is sort of a moot point now." I thought about how I'd wished not to have to do my presentation. Be careful what you ask for.

"How's that?"

"I broke my leg. I'm calling from the hospital."

There was silence for a moment, then with great calm, Jacob asked, "Bella, how did you break your leg?"

"I hit a car." Well, I did.

"Do you mean someone hit you? With their car? How badly are you hurt?"

"No," I shrugged. "I hit the car. It was parked."

I could imagine his face, his eyebrows lowered, pulling his forehead down. Confused. "Some guy pushed me. He'd stolen a woman's purse and was running away. I didn't move fast enough and it was icy, so I slid into the car."

"How bad is the damage?"

"Broken leg. A concussion. I've been worse. I'm okay, really." I needed to reassure him. Otherwise, he'd be on his way in a heartbeat.

"Doesn't sound okay to me," he muttered. "Doesn't sound okay at all."

I sighed. He had no idea. "My leg will be fine. My head's already better. I'm a little stressed." A little stressed. Yeah, right. "I'll explain when I come home. Just talk to me, Jake. About anything. I just need to hear you talk."

"Bella, what else happened?"

"I'm just feeling a little crazy right now. The pain medication has me disoriented." It was only partly a lie. And I'd explain when I saw him. As soon as I saw him. He would understand. He had to. If he didn't, I wasn't sure anything could make me whole again. Not if I lost him, too.

Apparently, Jacob accepted that the best thing he could do for me right now was exactly what I'd asked him to do: talk to me. He started to ramble about his day and the night before. He told me about an octopus he'd seen in a tide pool before the last pack bonfire. He described a 'sweet car' someone had brought in for repairs – a 1970 Mustang Boss 302. His words wrapped around me like a blanket, his husky voice soothing me as I began to drift into sleep.

I surfaced briefly to hear Jake chuckle. "Get off the phone, Bells. You're falling asleep on me," he teased. And then, soft and warm, "I love you."


	43. Chapter 43

Part 2

Part 43

By Tekhne

"Is she asleep?" Emmett rumbled even when he whispered.

I opened my eyes. "Not exactly. Although this could be a dream. In fact, except for the broken leg, a dream makes more sense."

"We're not a dream, Bella. I promise." As Alice spoke, she danced over to the bed. "I'll pinch you if you want, so you know you're awake."

Both of them laughed. "My leg hurts enough, no need for pinching, thank you."

Talk about awkward. How do you open up a conversation with people you never thought you'd see again and probably won't ever see again after a few days? Skipping to 'goodbye' just didn't seem right, even though I knew that's what this conversation, or maybe the next one, would be.

Alice solved the problem by speaking first. "I've missed you, Bella, and I have so much to tell you. Thanks to you, I found out about my human life. I had a sister. And a niece. Well, lots of nieces and nephews, actually, if you keep going."

They sat beside me as she bubbled with enthusiasm and told me how little information about her there was to uncover, but how interesting she found her family, at least the modern members of it. Emmett watched indulgently. He'd obviously heard all of this before.

When she reached the end of her story, Alice narrowed her eyes and asked pointedly, "So, Bella, what have you been up to?"

"Mostly school." I wondered how much she'd seen of my life, if anything other than the events that led me here. Did she know about Jacob? The werewolves? She obviously knew something that didn't settle well with her.

Emmett remained unusually quiet.

"You had another hospital stay recently. It worried me." Alice stared at me, her lips in a grim line. Emmett sat, motionless.

I let out a slow breath. "It was a little scary."

"A little scary?" Alice's musical voice sounded more like the violins in _Psycho _than her usual lilt. "A _little_ scary?" she repeated. "Bella, I know. After I had the vision, I had Jasper hack into hospital records to find out where you went and why. You overdosed. What on earth were you thinking? Then I went for days without being able to see you in a vision at all. If the records hadn't shown that you'd been discharged from the hospital, I'd have thought you were dead." Her eyes flashed, dark and angry. Emmett, statue-like, didn't move an inch.

"Alice, I didn't give myself the overdose. A guy slipped it into my drink at a party."

Emmett growled and leaped out of his chair so fast, it seemed at first he'd disappeared. He slowed as he paced the floor, muscles rolling along his arms and shoulders, fists clenched.

"Why would someone do that? Did he think it would be funny to see how you reacted?" She crossed her arms as she spoke, clearly indignant.

I shook my head. "It wasn't that kind of drug. I wouldn't go out with him and he wanted to incapacitate me enough to—"

"Edward may not be around to do it, but _I'll _go kill him for you if you want me to. Just say the word," Emmett interrupted, spitting the words out in a ferocious snarl. He stopped pacing, his face frozen in a dangerous grimace. He looked downright scary, and I knew he wasn't upset with me. I'd hate to be on the business-end of an angry Emmett.

Now Alice directed her hard stare at him.

Emmett's brow furrowed when he met Alice's disarming gaze. "What? I offered to _kill_ him. I didn't say I was going to drink his blood. Edward isn't the only one who can take care of her. Even Rosalie might be willing to do something about that, given the circumstances."

Rosalie might help defend me? I found it hard to believe that.

Alice frowned and opened her eyes as wide as she could. Emmett dropped his head, watching the floor as if it were a large-screen TV on Super Bowl Sunday. Some unspoken message passed between them. Probably something about mentioning Edward. Or mentioning that Edward wasn't around. I supposed he was off somewhere with his latest distraction. I wondered how many of them there had been since me and if any of the others had been human. The thought hurt, but I couldn't let them see how much. And I couldn't tell them how I'd reacted. He'd hear their thoughts eventually, and I didn't want him to know.

"I'm okay. Really," I assured them. "One of my friends realized what happened and took me to the hospital before anything else happened."

Emmett sighed as the tension left his body. "Just so you know, I told Alice you would never do drugs," he grinned as he reassured me. "I knew better. No matter what the hospital records said about an overdose."

"Charlie would kill me. Besides, I have enough trouble staying upright without any help from intoxicating substances."

That made Emmett chuckle, easing his anxiety even more.

I realized it might work out best if I asked the questions, just to switch to a safer subject. "I really hated that I didn't get to tell either of you goodbye. I've missed you both. Everybody, actually. I've missed you all." I bit my lip. Not exactly a safe subject. "Alice told me what she'd been doing. How about you, Emmett?"

He shrugged. "I never got to tell you about how much fun Rosalie and I had in Africa." His eyes sparkled. "I really like rhinos. Almost as much as grizzlies."

I tried to imagine Emmett against a rhinoceros. Funny, but I could. "Challenging to hunt?"

"Even Rose liked them. We go back at least once a year for the hunting. Safari!"

The image of a gorgeous Rosalie confronting a rhino just didn't fit. Although I had no doubt she was tenacious enough to take on any animal she wanted. Tenacious. The word Edward had used to describe her. Maybe no subject was really safe.

As I struggled to find another subject quickly, Carlisle stepped into the room. He smiled as he approached me and checked my chart. "You seem to feel better today."

"I'm still a little out of it. I think it's the medication."

"That's to be expected." His simple statement nearly made me cry. I knew where I'd heard those words before. He hesitated as if he needed to say something but felt unsure about the topic. Please, not something about Edward. I didn't think I could hold myself together. "You're recovering well, and under normal circumstances, I'd send you home tonight. But since home is a couple of time zones away, I'm reluctant to do that." He watched me carefully, his concern comforting.

"What other options do I have?" I asked, dreading the answer.

He shrugged. "It's unlikely, but if you feel up to it, you can stay for the conference. Your insurance has approved the use of a wheelchair and the school can accommodate you. But your professor contacted the airline, and they have agreed to exchange your ticket, given the circumstances." Now he frowned as if he didn't want to tell me more. "If you want to go home, I can release you, but I warn you, the trip will likely be uncomfortable. I'll be limited as far as pain medication goes. It will have to be something that won't completely knock you out."

I felt certain that staying, now that I knew they were here, was a bad choice. I'd break down and embarrass myself. I needed to leave them with a goodbye that wasn't horrible. It wasn't their fault that Edward didn't want me. He might not love me, but they did. There was no sense in hurting them just to postpone the inevitable. "I think home would be better," I murmured.

Emmett started to speak, but Alice, her face expressionless, shook her head almost imperceptibly. He closed his mouth and resumed staring at the floor. Alice tilted her head, watching me.

"I'll call your professor and tell her to go ahead and make the exchange. She'll let me know the departure and arrival times so you can tell Charlie," Carlisle spoke softly, nodding. He squeezed my hand and turned to leave.

"You want a ride to the airport, Bella?" Emmett offered. His voice sounded uncharacteristically glum, but cheered up with his next statement. "Alice and I can take you. I've got a new Explorer."

Alice nodded, smiling eagerly.

"I'd like that." One last chance to say goodbye to the family I'd lost.

At least I'd get to spend most of my spring break with Jacob.


	44. Chapter 44

Part 2

Part 44

By Tekhne

Jacob waited just outside the restricted area, his head and shoulders towering over the welcoming crowd. I waved, knowing he could see me. A smile lit up his face and he waved back.

"That's the guy picking you up? Does he have any brothers?" the flight attendant wheeling me through the airport asked.

I thought of the pack. "He has five."

"Tell me that at least one of them looks anything like him. Or is just built like him."

I laughed. "Pretty much all of them. But they live in La Push, on the Olympic Peninsula." Jacob thought I'd feel more comfortable in the car, so he'd driven all the way to SEA/TAC to pick me up.

She sighed. "If only they were closer to Seattle." Then she fell silent, not wanting him to hear her verbal ogling. She had no idea she'd stopped talking too late. Jacob could hear her before he could see her.

Jacob pushed through the crowd and the flight attendant turned my wheelchair over to him. "The baggage claim is that way," she pointed.

He nodded. "Thanks. I scoped things out when I got here." He ignored her as he stepped around the chair and lifted me into his arms. His lips met mine in a crushing kiss. I pulled him closer, wrapping my fingers in his hair. He broke away long enough to say, "I've missed you so much. I hate that you broke your leg, but I'm glad you're home, even if that's what it took to get you here." He kissed me again before he returned me to the chair.

The flight attendant just stared until he wheeled me away.

"Ten bucks says she's still watching you. Or at least your butt." Hanging out with Jacob and the pack during the summer and on breaks had turned me into a bit of a gambler.

"No bet. Happens all the time." Most guys would have sounded a bit smug, but for him, it was just a statement of fact. Then he whispered, "Now, do you want to tell me why you smell like a vampire?"

When Alice and Emmett took me to the airport in Michigan, I hadn't even thought about their scent. I just felt grateful that I'd see them one last time. I should have known better. I'd planned to talk to him about seeing them, but I thought it could wait until we arrived at Charlie's. "Maybe we should get away from the crowd first."

"Just answer one question. Do I know the vampire?"

I didn't have to see him to know that his jaw muscles were pulsing. I could almost hear him gritting his teeth. "It was Alice and Emmett." I didn't want to talk more about it until I could see his face. I needed to know his response. Needed to know if my seeing them would make him leave me, too. The possibility of that made it hard to breathe, and I wrapped my arms around my chest.

Jacob inhaled sharply. When I turned to look, his eyes were shut tight, his face a grimace of pain I'd never seen before. I didn't want to hurt him. I never wanted to hurt him.

The luggage shuffled along on the track, and we watched in silence until my bag came around. Jacob grabbed it and started the trek to his car. He'd used Billy's handicapped parking tag, so it wasn't that far. As he swept me out of the chair and into the seat of his Rabbit, I realized just how used to this he was. He'd been taking care of Billy for so long, catering to someone in a wheelchair must be like breathing to him. Although I'm sure it was easier in the last few years, at least the lifting into the car part. Even a full-grown man wouldn't weigh much to a werewolf.

I heard him open the hatchback and fold the chair into the space, then add my duffle. Everything seemed louder because of his utter stillness. When he climbed into the driver's seat, his face was the one I used to see when he first phased. I hadn't seen that face in so long. Cold. Hard. Emotionless.

Finally, he spoke. "Did you see _him_, too?"

"No," I whispered.

A flicker of surprise shot through his eyes, but his face remained as expressionless as ever.

"Did you know they were there? Did you plan to see them?" His voice remained steady. Flat. But I heard his breath catch.

I shook my head. "It wasn't like that. I had no idea. When I came to and saw Carlisle, I thought I was dreaming." I paused. "He's working there. Well, he was. I'm sure he won't be there much longer. I know they'll move. They probably called a realtor that day."

He watched me carefully, as if waiting for something.

"Carlisle said that Alice had seen my accident. That I was coming to the hospital. He was expecting me." The words poured out in a deluge. "Alice and Emmett visited. It felt good to talk to them, Jake. To say goodbye. I didn't get to do that before. When Edward left Forks they were already gone."

"He didn't even talk to you?" His face relaxed the tiniest bit.

"They hardly mentioned him at all. Emmett said something in passing, but Alice shot Emmett a scary look and he stopped talking." I lowered my head. "The two of them offered to bring me to the airport. That's why I smell like them. I didn't even think about the scent lingering and bothering you. It was just one last chance to tell them goodbye."

He winced, and his lips twisted. "Why didn't you tell me on the phone? We talked every day. Every night. Why did you hide it from me?"

I swallowed, my voice hard to find. "I was afraid you'd be angry at me, like you are now. That you wouldn't want to talk to me, and I needed you; needed to hear your voice." I hated crying, but I couldn't hold back the tears. "With them there, everything came back. Only this time, I wasn't numb, so I could feel the pain. I couldn't close up and hide from it. But I wanted a chance to say goodbye to them, even though seeing them hurt so much. And just like before, you held me together." I held on to myself tightly. What if he didn't want me anymore? What if he felt too betrayed? I couldn't look him in the eye.

He didn't speak as the sound of my sobbing filled the car. Then I felt his hand, so warm, cupping my cheek, his thumb stroking my jawline. "I'm not angry at _you_." He tilted my chin up so that he could look into my eyes. "I'll always be there when you need me. Nothing could keep me away." He laughed. It sounded a little forced. "Don't you remember? Even a direct order from Sam couldn't keep me away from you. I found a way around it. If you needed me to come to you there in Michigan, I would have."

As I watched, his expression softened. "I love you, Bella. I don't understand how you can think of them like people. Or how you can want to see _any_ of them after he hurt you so much. But I love you. If it meant sitting in the middle of seven vampires stinking up your hospital room, I would have come because I love you. And I wouldn't have hurt any of them, no matter how much I wanted to. Not even him."

"There were never more than three if them in my room." I murmured, finally able to talk again. "And I told you that he never came. Esme and Jasper didn't come to see me, either. Neither of them felt sure enough about coming to the hospital. All that blood, they didn't quite trust themselves. They just called. Only Carlisle, Emmett and Alice visited."

"But there are seven of them. Who else didn't come? Or at least talk to you?"

I laughed. "Rosalie. She never liked me much. I guess she had nothing to say to me. It didn't surprise me."

"As long as she didn't hurt your feelings by not coming to see you." He grinned, then turned serious. "The next time you need me, tell me. Remember, I came to California when I thought you wanted to break up with me. I would come to you no matter what."

"I thought—" the words stuck in my throat.

"What did you think?" he whispered. He almost sounded afraid.

I looked away, avoiding his eyes again. "I thought you might not want to come. That you might not want me anymore because I wanted to see them. That you might be _that_ angry. It scared me so much I didn't want to risk it. Not when I needed you more than ever to make me stop hurting."

He turned my head to face him again and kissed me. "Nothing will _ever_ make me want to leave you. And _nothing_, not even a coven of vampires, could keep me away from you. Not if you wanted me there."

With his arms wrapped around me snug and warm, I could almost forget that we were in the car with a gearshift between us. I could breath more easily again because he held me together.


	45. Chapter 45

Part 2

Part 45

By Tekhne

She stank. She smelled awful. But she was home. I _still_ felt jealous. After three years, Edward Cullen could _still_ hurt her. I resented the hell out of him. I wondered if _either_ of us would ever get over him.

But right now, I was the one making her cry. I should have waited, let her bring it up when she felt ready. She obviously planned to tell me. If I'd only been a little more patient. In the end, it didn't really matter. She wanted me. She needed me. She even worried about losing me. She thought I'd be angry at _her_. _That I was_ angry at her.

I knew that when he'd left, she'd already considered them family. She _loved_ them like they were human. Apparently, she still did. I could hear the emotion in her voice when she talked about them. Not just the pain when she talked about him, but how much she cared about the others. What seeing them again meant to her, even if it did hurt.

When I pulled away to start the car, she did that breathing thing again, holding herself together like she might crack open. She hadn't done that in years. Didn't she see what they did to her? They weren't good for her. He wasn't good enough for her.

Or was that my own insecurity talking?

She didn't speak, but her hand snaked out, small and cool against mine. Soothing, almost. Could she tell how angry I was? I'd learned, long ago, to control it, to push it away somewhere deep inside of me where it couldn't break free until I needed it. To harness it. To let the rage help me protect my people.

Vampires didn't come to the Olympic Peninsula often anymore, and those that did never left. I thought of him every time I killed one of them. I'd never told Bella that. Could she still love me if she knew? How could I justify the way I felt about her not telling me that the Cullens were in Michigan when I'd never mentioned that particular detail of fighting vampires?

"You are angry, aren't you?" Bella whispered.

I nodded. "It's not what you think, though. I'm not angry at you." Angry at them. Angry at myself. But never angry at her.

"Then what is it?"

"They destroyed you. Not just him. All of them." I stared into the darkness of the road as I tried to ignore the swipe of the windshield wipers. "You said that they were glad to see you. They never wanted to leave, did they? But they did. Somehow, he managed to make them all leave you. It's just another way that he hurt you. Seeing them brought it all back for you." I paused, trying to hold the words back. Knowing she knew it anyway. "I _hate_ them, Bella. Not just the way the rest of the pack hates them. I _know_ you love them, and I think that makes me despise them even more." In a whisper, I added, "I know you don't want me to hate them. I just can't help it."

Her eyes opened wide as she stared at me. Finally, she nodded. "I know. And you're wrong about the rest of the pack. Sam, anyway. He can't understand why I don't hate them."

To my surprise, she laughed. "I didn't mention the pack to them. I wonder if they'd hate you, too?"

"Why didn't you mention us?" My voice sounded sharp.

She shrugged. "What if they thought you were dangerous?"

"Oh, I _am_ dangerous. _Especially_ to them," I assured her.

"I know you're dangerous. The big, bad wolf and all. But what if they thought the pack was as dangerous to me as the pack thinks the Cullens are?" Now she stared ahead, focusing on the road. "It wouldn't do for them to come back, would it?"

Would they do that? "They didn't come back when Victoria was stalking you." I hated myself before the words were completely out of my mouth. I wanted to take them back, even before I saw her face crumple.

Then she defended them. I forced her to do that. "They didn't know she was stalking me. They went to a lot of trouble to protect me when James wanted to kill me. They wouldn't want all that effort to go to waste." It was my own fault that I had to listen to her stick up for them.

She bit her lip, trying to hide the hint of uncertainly that crept into her voice. "They might have come back. If they'd known. Alice would have. And Emmett. Jasper would have come with Alice."

Her voice faded.

The doubt hurt her. "You're right. They would have come. They just didn't know. And they might feel the same way about werewolves as we feel about vampires. Even vampires like the Cullens." I didn't like saying it. I wasn't even sure I believed it. But it seemed to make Bella relax, even if it didn't make up for what I'd said.

She was quiet after that, drifting slowly into sleep. I listened to her evenly-paced breathing.

Then it dawned on me what she'd said. Not defending them. Not how she cared for them. _It wouldn't do for them to come back, would it?_ She didn't really _want_ them to come back. She might _love_ them. She might _protect_ them. She might want to _see _them. But she _didn't_ want them to come back. I'd been so caught up in being angry at them that I'd missed it the first time around. My grip on the steering wheel loosened. _She didn't want them to come back._

Bella mumbled something in her sleep, her lips curling around words I couldn't quite make out. At least, not until she called my name and followed it up with pursed lips. I brushed my hand across her face, and she kissed my palm without waking.

The windshield wipers beat out a steady rhythm against the rain, like a repeated phrase, matching the words echoing through my brain. _It wouldn't do for them to come back. It wouldn't do for them to come back. It wouldn't do for them to come back._


End file.
